ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Rosemarie DeWitt and Ron Livingston Adopt Daughter Esperanza Mae. Rosemarie DeWitt sure knows how to keep a secret! During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Thursday, the 45-year-old actress nonchalantly announced that she and husband Ron Livingston have adopted for the second time. "She just turned 1," the actress said of Esperanza Mae. "She's been with us for a year." Sharing a picture of her little girl, DeWitt added, "We call her ZaZa. She's a little sweetheart." Esperanza Mae joins 3-year-old sister Gracie James, whom the couple adopted in April 2013. "They're happy," the mom of two said. "They like each other a lot." Though she's been busy promoting La La Land, DeWitt has also been busy getting ready for the holidays. According to the actress, Gracie James has an "odd" gift list" this year -- meaning she'll have to work extra hard to make sure the presents are under the tree on Christmas morning. "I asked her what she wanted. She wanted bad guy tattoos, which I haven't been able to find yet, a pink firefighters and a blue firefighter -- which I think I can pull off -- and a pretend Levi, which is her friend. Well, it's her friend's older brother who's 7. I think we're probably going to get it." According to DeWitt, Levi's moms once compared their son to a Mattell toy. "He looks kind of like a Ken doll, and they're going to give him a sweatshirt. She'll get her own pretend Levi," the actress said. "She's got it bad for this boy, so now she'll get her own that she can carry around." Ellen DeGeneres joked, "That's kind of creepy when you think about it." "As a mom," DeWitt explained, "you want to make all their dreams come true." During her appearance on the show, DeWitt also cleared up a rumor her La La Land co-star Ryan Gosling has been spreading. "Ryan's super fun to work with, but he's perpetuating this story that's not true," she said. "He said the other day that I put acorns up his nose in one of the scenes that they didn't use, which I did not do. I just want to say it here that it's not true. I [told] him in the scene, 'Here: Put these up your nose.' I wouldn't put acorns up Ryan Gosling's nose.'" To be clear, DeWitt did suggest the idea to Gosling. "He did it, and I was like, 'Oh, game on. This guy's going to be fun to work with,'" she told the host. "But I wouldn't have been like, 'Hi, I'm Rosemary. Nice to meet you.' And then just [shove some acorns up his nose]." (Eonline)

First comes love, then comes marriage? Shortly after news broke that Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk are expecting their first child, the 30-year-old Victoria's Secret model was spotted wearing a gorgeous ring on that finger while leaving a Los Angeles spa, sparking engagement rumors. The large emerald stone surrounded by a halo of diamonds on a gold band may be nontraditional, but it's not unlike one of the most buzzed about engagement rings in the world: Princess Kate's heirloom sapphire from Prince William. Reps for the couple have not commented. Shayk and Cooper, 41, have been dating since spring 2015, not long after the former split from soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and the latter from Suki Waterhouse. Though they've remained tight lipped about the pregnancy, the happy couple haven't been shy about their romance, regularly stepping out together on exotic trips and at fun events. While "being pregnant hasn't stopped [the model] from working hard in Europe," a source previously told PEOPLE that Cooper "seems more protective" of her. "He has been spotted dropping her off at the airport with kisses as she is about to take off for another job," says the source. "They are just a very sweet couple." Despite the time apart, the source says, "Bradley and Irina both seem very independent and supportive of each other's careers." (People)

Jay Mohr and wife Nikki Cox are off again, because he's filed for divorce for the second time. Mohr had filed to end his 10 year marriage in July but withdrew the petition 6 days later, telling TMZ, he and Nikki were "Very in love. Very happy and that's really all there is." Things apparently took a turn for the worse, because he filed Tuesday citing irreconcilable differences. This time around Jay wants joint legal and physical custody of their 5-year-old son. He also says they have a prenup that spells out all the financials. After filing the first time Jay asked for an emergency order for full custody, claiming their child was at risk because of Nikki's alleged drug and depression problem. (TMZ)

Arrow's Tyler Ritter Will Restore Your Faith in Good Neighbors After His Wedding Ring Goes Missing. Tyler Ritter may have just experienced a Christmas miracle. Earlier this week, the Arrow star endured something no happily married person wants to deal with: Yes, he misplaced his wedding ring. "If you ever lose your wedding ring in a grassy field, get used to looking at this... " he shared on Twitter when holding a metal detector. "I'll be back in the morn." When one fan asked if this is worse than dropping your keys down an elevator shaft, Tyler was quick to keep it real. "This is worse," he added. "But a woman pushing a cart nearby at one point said, 'hey kid' and tossed me a nickel which was very nice. #Silverlining?" Don't worry, guys. This story gets happier real fast. On Wednesday evening, the actor updated his followers on the search for his valuable piece of jewelry. Spoiler alert: It's a very happy ending. "A stranger saw me just now still searching with my metal detector," he wrote on Twitter while showcasing the special item. "She turned out to be my neighbor. She found it last night #TearsOfJoy." Tyler continued, "And what a quintessential Los Angeles story: Hollywood ending between neighbors who had never met! Make today National Love Thy Neighbor Day." It's a happy ending for a man who recently celebrated his nine-year anniversary. Earlier in the month, Tyler and his wife marked their milestone by visiting Hamilton on Broadway. Tyler also shared a throwback of the moment he first met his leading lady. Hey Tyler, promise you'll be a bit more careful going forward? (Eonline)

Mindy Kaling Invisible on Ocean's Eight Set: "People Think I'm Sandra Bullock's Assistant." It's hard to shine bright on a set full of stars. Perhaps no one understands that better than Mindy Kaling, who's currently filming Warner Bros.' Ocean's Eight in New York City alongside Awkwafina, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson and Rihanna. As Seth Meyers noted on Late Night Wednesday, the film has "one of the most incredible casts ever put together." Since principal photography began in late October, the paparazzi have been a constant presence on set. "What has your paparazzi experience been so far?" Meyers asked. Kaling replied, "With that group of women, I've never felt so unfamous in my life. Like, I thought I was pretty cool. I have my own show. People think I'm Sandra Bullock's assistant and they're like, 'Get out of the way! We need to bring Sandra her matcha tea.' I'm like, 'I'm in a scene with her. I'm not her assistant.' Then I'm like, 'OK! Whatever. I'll give her her matcha tea. Might as well.'" Rihanna draws the most paparazzi attention, however. "There's movie/TV famous, and then there's international pop star famous, which is at a whole other level," the 37-year-old actress said. "We shot a scene, all eight of us together recently, and when we walked outside, there was this huge paparazzi [swarm]. I was talking to Anne Hathaway and Rihanna was kind of behind us. And there was a sea of paparazzi taking photos and all that. I was feeling kind of cool and famous. Then Rihanna took a left to her trailer, which was not in the same direction that me and Anne were going, and the paparazzi left so quickly." Once Rihanna was gone, Kaling said, "It was like a desert! Anne and I were talking, and I'm trying to have this sexy conversation with Anne Hathaway, and no one's around or cares even." Whenever the paparazzi are around, Kaling's posture improves and she puts on a big smile. "I noticed when they have a picture of a celebrity looking kind of unhappy, they're like, 'Addiction Problems!' And they put it next to [a photo of] you frowning," she said. "No matter what I'm in, I'm always like, 'Anne Hathaway's the most hilarious person in the whole world!'" To prove her point, Kaling had Meyers examine a recent paparazzi picture of herself on set with Hatahway and Rihanna. "Just for the record, I'm wearing a gorgeous coat. I'm showing a lot of leg [and wearing] expensive shoes. Anne is wearing a leopard coat. Rihanna's wearing a full parka and baggy jeans!" the Mindy Project star said with a laugh. "They shoved me out of the way to get to her. 'Get out of the way, Sandra Bullock's assistant! We want to talk to Rihanna!'" Ocean's Eight will be in theaters June 8, 2018. (Eonline)

Will Smith Doesn't Seem Excited About the 2017 Oscars. Naomie Harris has a lot to celebrate. On Monday, Moonlight was nominated for Best Motion Picture (Drama) at the 2017 Golden Globes, and Harris also received a Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture nomination. Two days later, she entered the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role race when the Awards nominations were announced. "We're going to celebrate tomorrow and just have an amazing time. I'm so over the moon," she said on ITV's Lorraine Thursday. "It's a tiny movie with no publicity budget, so it's incredible that it's done so well." Harris' Collateral Beauty co-star Will Smith, who famously boycotted the 2016 Oscars, is not expecting a 2017 Oscars nomination for his leading role. "There was a time in my life when box office was everything and if you didn't get nominated you're under the bed for three weeks and all of that," the actor said. "It's always fun to be invited to the party, but that's all it can be." Smith's comments echoed those he made at the film's premiere in New York City Monday. "I am a little bit beyond that at this point in my life," he told Variety. "Anytime that anyone likes it, I will take that." As director David Frankel pointed out, Collateral Beauty is about more than competing for awards season glory. "I hope that people feel a desire to reconnect with their loved ones," he said. "I think it's rare that you get to make a movie that has an opportunity to help people and it's fun to know that people might reconnect and reach out and hug their kids." Whether or not he receives an Oscar nomination on Jan. 24, Smith only has good things to say about the film; he plays a father who grieves the loss of his 6-year-old daughter. "He writes these three letters: He writes one to Love, one to Time and one to Death. In his deteriorated mental state, he mails the letters, and then Love, Time and Death respond," the actor, 48, explained on Lorraine. "I thought that was beautiful conceit for a film, so I was in at that point." The movie resonated with Smith, who was "was dealing with the impending loss of my father." Collateral Beauty is in theaters Friday. (Eonline)

Months after Taylor Swift wished her pal Blake Lively a happy birthday with an adorable post on Instagram (the cute koala didn't hurt its cuteness factor), Lively is returning the gesture. Although the 29-year-old actress was a day late in sending her birthday messages, Lively made up for the tardiness with sweetness. "People Who I Not Only Really Love, But Also Really LIKE, That Were Born Yesterday: Part 1 of 2," Lively captioned a selfie of herself smiling with the newly 27-year-old singer peering at the camera from under her blonde bangs. "You know how I feel." Swift wasn't the only person in Lively's life celebrating -- her brother-in-law Bart Johnson, who happened to play Troy Bolton's father in the High School Musical movies, also marks his big day on Dec. 13. (Johnson is married to Lively's older sister, actress Robyn Lively.) Lively honored Johnson in a separate Instagram post, sharing a silly photo of the sisters with their arms wrapped around each other and Johnson photobombing from behind them. "People That I Not Only Really Love, But Also Really LIKE, Who Were Born Yesterday: Part 2 of 2," Lively wrote. "No one loves you more than @robynlively and I do. Clearly... " Swift and Lively cemented their BFF status by posting a series of Instagram posts from a fun day at the Queensland theme park in Australia last year. Things didn't slow down this summer when they celebrated the Fourth of July at Swift's Rhode Island home with their significant others -- Lively's husband Ryan Reynolds and Swift's now-ex Tom Hiddleston. (People)

Since news of his secret split went public on Monday, Tarek El Moussa has been keeping his focus on his two children. The Flip or Flop star, who confirmed his separation from wife Christina to PEOPLE, shared an update about his post-split life Wednesday on Instagram. "Me and the #love of my life #crushing it!!! It's been a #crazy few days but we #love our kids soooo #much!! My #heart and #soul," El Moussa, 35, captioned a photo of himself with 6-year-old daughter Taylor. Missing from the photo was his one-year-old son Brayden. "We decided to separate while we reevaluated the next steps in our married life," the former couple told PEOPLE in this week's issue. "We believed this was in the best interests of the children and the best way to determine a path forward." The El Moussas announced they were ending their seven-year marriage in a statement to PEOPLE, noting an altercation that involved a gun at their home in May. "Like many couples, we have had challenges in our marriage," the former couple said in the statement. "We had an unfortunate misunderstanding about six months ago and the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution. There was no violence and no charges were filed." PEOPLE learned that authorities responded to a call of a "possibly suicidal male with a gun" at approximately 3:45 p.m. on May 23. Eleven officers were dispatched to the Chino Hills State Park Main Ridge Trail. "Tarek was going on a hike and took a gun for protection from mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and rattlesnakes," the pair clarified to PEOPLE in this week's issue. The parents of two, who are in the midst of their sixth season of the reality design series, concluded their joint statement by sharing details of how they sought counseling to "sort out" the relationship but have since decided to separate while evaluating "the future of our marriage." Adding, "During the process, we are committed to our kids and being the best parents we can be. We will continue to work through this process civilly and cooperatively, and plan to continue our professional life together." (People)

Street Artist Impersonated Actor Michael Vartan Following Alan Thicke's Death -- In Order To Promote Himself! Gross! This is seriously f*cked up. Hollywood lost an incredible talent earlier this week when Alan Thicke away on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack. But can you believe someone tried to take advantage of the situation?! As you may have heard, sources were reporting that actor Michael Vartan had said he was joking around with the Growing Pains star moments before the 69-year-old was taken to the hospital. Well, the disgusting truth has FINALLY come out after it was discovered Vartan never made those comments as it was actually a street artist named Midas Lives who pretended to be the actor! Apparently, Midas' cell phone number used to belong to Vartan at one point which lead to the confusion. Following Alan's death, there were reports that Michael was at Pickwick Ice in Burbank, CA at the same time as the late actor. So when news outlets reached out to who they thought was the Alias star, the street artist picked up and pretended to be Mr. Vartan. To make matters worse, the man told the caller that he was with his "friend" Midas Lives earlier that morning and Thicke had talked about commissioning a piece from the artist. F*cking seriously?! The insensitive man has since taken to Twitter to share an "official apology" to Thicke's family: Funny, sounds more like Midas was pretending to be someone else and gave a false statement regarding a VERY serious situation in which someone died! Please, tell us more about how your bullsh*t and self-promotion is a "fine piece of art." As for the "irresponsibility of media today", perhaps sources and phone numbers should be double checked, but then again, maybe people shouldn't LIE ABOUT BEING SOMEONE THEY'RE NOT! Mr. Vartan's publicist, Nancy McCarty Iannios, has spoken out about the whole ordeal saying: "Although Michael played hockey at the same rink as Alan Thicke yesterday, he did not have the opportunity to speak with Alan, so the reports have all been false." We honestly can't understand how ANYONE would use such a tragic situation to self-promote their own work -- let alone tell an IDIOTIC lie! (Perez Hilton)

Lindsay Lohan continues her international travels -- this time in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The globe-trotting "Mean Girls" star -- who's recently visited Greece, as well as refugee camps in Turkey -- was spotted being "affectionate and holding hands" with a "tall, dark and handsome" mystery man at Iris lounge in Dubai's financial center neighborhood. "She enjoyed a few drinks with him and a group of friends," said a witness. "They were also dancing together." However, "she was very well-behaved." Another source said the description seems to fit "her manager," and it all might have been some innocent flirting. Following her dramatic split with fiance Egor Tarabasov over the summer, Lohan's been linked to Dennis Papageorgiou, her partner in a Greek nightclub called "Lohan." Her assistant did not get back to us with any comment. (Page Six)

Kristen Stewart has been spotted on the set of her new film in Georgia sporting numerous cuts and bruises on her face and knees. The 26-year-old actress was spotted talking a walk with rumored new girlfriend, Stella Maxwell, and didn't appear to want to hide her cuts. Wearing shorts, her knee injuries were fully on show. It's not clear at the moment where the actress sustained the injuries from but reports are saying she fell on a night out. We hope they clear up quick. The pictures are currently exclusive to The Daily Mail and probably cost a gazillion pounds but see them here. (British Glamour)

Jodie Foster has a new obsessed fan -- on top of having to deal with John Hinckley Jr.'s prison release -- and the new one is tracking her everywhere she goes ... according to Jodie's wife. Her spouse, Alexandra Hedison, got a restraining order against Celine Martelleur ... who's popped up at Alex and Jodie's Bev Hills home, and also in Toronto when Jodie was filming there. Alexandra says Martelleur has repeatedly professed love for Jodie -- mostly in creepy emails, one of which said, "I am still in Toronto until next month. I am around avoiding cops. Jodie is in my thoughts every minute." In the docs, Alexandra says she was home on Dec. 9 when Martelleur buzzed at their security gate. When Alexandra asked via intercom who it was, she says Martelleur replied, "Celine, you should know who it is." She called cops, but law enforcement sources tell us officers didn't arrest Martelleur because there was no protective order. Alexandra's taken care of that -- the restraining order requires Martelleur to stay 100 yards away from Jodie, Alexandra and their 2 kids. In her docs, she refers to Jodie's history with "mentally troubled" people like Hinckley, who "shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981 based on his obsessive fixation with [Jodie]." (TMZ)

Amber Heard's Legal Team Fights Back as Johnny Depp Refuses to Finalize $7 Million Divorce Settlement. Johnny Depp and Heard have reached a speed bump in their ongoing divorce saga. Back in August, the former couple agreed to a $7 million settlement, all of which would be donated by Depp to the ACLU and Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, per Heard's request. But now, in legal documents obtained by E! News, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor seems to be pushing back against finalizing the agreement. Amber's legal team filed a Request for Order with the Los Angeles Superior Court in hopes of imposing the settlement and expediting Depp's payment. Attorney fees and costs up to $35,435 are also being requested. Additionally, the actress' attorneys claim Depp has failed to comply with the court-allotted timeline of various mandates, including the division of personal property, shipping her belonging from his private island in the Bahamas, transferring a Range Rover into Heard's name and Depp's outstanding debts incurred from cars, Neil Lane jewelry and stylist fees. In a declaration written by Heard and included in the documents, she makes a number of less-than flattering claims about her ex-husband and alleges that he broke the agreement by paying the initial $200,000 donation to the charities as opposed to Amber directly. "Instead, when Johnny learned that I planned to donate my entire marital settlement to charities, Johnny purported to satisfy his obligation to pay me by supposedly paying the charities I selected instead of me," she writes. Heard continues, "He also claimed that I violated the confidentiality provisions of the [Deal Point Memorandum] by announcing that I was donating my settlement to charities. In fact, I made those donations in good faith and I was responding to the leaks by Johnny's agents bragging that I had settled for substantially less than a reported, earlier offered sum and attempting to label me a gold digger." The 30-year-old also refers to many tabloid stories she believes were planted by the actor's team and are defamatory in nature, thus violating the exes' DPM. Since Amber and Johnny's year-long marriage came to an end in May of this year, the actress has stayed mostly quiet about the domestic abuse allegations she made against the 53-year-old until very recently. In late November, Heard teamed up with the #GirlGaze Project to create an emotionally-charged PSA, in which she fights back tears while discussing her connection to the topic. Then earlier this week, she penned a moving essay for Porter magazine urging victims of abuse to speak out against their attackers. "You are not alone. You may have suffered alone behind closed doors, but you are not alone. You need to know that. I want to remind you of your strength, a strength that has been multiplied by the number of women who stand silently behind you -- a truth that allowed me to break down the doors I once found myself behind," she wrote. Amber does not refer to Johnny by his name in either piece. (Eonline)

Scott Baio has filed a police report claiming the wife of the Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer went nuts on him at a function with their elementary school kids ... physically attacking him over his support of Donald Trump. Law enforcement tells TMZ, Baio says he was at an event with his daughter Saturday in Thousand Oaks, CA, when Nancy Mack confronted him. Mack, who's married to drummer Chad Smith, is a vocal anti-Trump supporter ... who has called the Prez-elect racist ... began berating and cursing Baio, one of Trump's strongest celebrity supporters. We're told Baio told cops he asked her to quiet down because kids were present, but Mack was undeterred, asking him how he could support a man who said, "Grab 'em by the pussy." Baio claims she repeatedly screamed, "Grab 'em by the pussy." Baio asked Nancy to stop, but he claims she kept repeating the comment because she felt everyone needed to hear it, cause Trump used it. Baio told cops at that point Mack attacked him, grabbing him under his arms and then shaking and pushing him. Sources close to Mack say she was merely trying to show Baio how Trump hugs women and denies any intentional physical aggression. The Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. is investigating the incident and Mack is listed as a battery suspect. (TMZ)

It looks like all of Soulja Boy's gun-toting has finally caught up to him -- he was just arrested after someone snitched on the rapper for threatening people online. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ they paid a visit to Soulja's Hollywood Hills home Thursday on a Crime Stoppers tip that Soulja had been threatening people online with guns. Cops showed up, searched his house and we're told they found a gun inside ... so Soulja was arrested. You'll recall ... Soulja's on probation right now for his loaded gun case from a couple years ago ... and he's not allowed to have any weapons on him. As we reported ... Soulja's made numerous threats to people on social media lately. (TMZ)

Bernard Fox, the mustachioed actor known to TV viewers as Dr. Bombay on "Bewitched" and Col. Crittendon on "Hogan's Heroes," has died. He was 89. Boll, a spokesman for Fox's family, said he died Wednesday of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital. The Welsh-born actor's extensive, wide-ranging film and TV credits included "The Mummy," "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo," "The Dyke Van Dyke Show," "McHale's Navy" and "Columbo." He appeared in both 1997's "Titanic," playing Col. Archibald Gracie, and in a 1958 movie about the ship tragedy, "A Night to Remember." He had an uncredited role in the latter, playing a sailor who delivers the line, "Iceberg's dead ahead, sir!" according to his family. The actor spoofed his portrayal of the warlock physician Dr. Bombay on a 1989 episode of "Pee-wee's Playhouse," appearing as Dr. Jinga-Janga. On "Hogan's Heroes," he played the incompetent Crittendon, a Royal Air Force group captain referred to as the colonel. He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline; daughter Amanda; daughter-in-law Lisa, and two grandchildren. Another daughter, Valerie, died in 2006, Boll said. (Page Six)

Loving memories. Joanna Kerns, who played Alan Thicke's wife on Growing Pains, paid tribute to her former TV husband in an emotional statement on Wednesday, December 14. "I loved Al," Kerns, 63, wrote in a statement to Too Fab. "I called him Al because it really bugged him. He thought it sounded like an old man's name. He hated it, but the cast loved it and unfortunately for him, it stuck." "Alan loved everything youthful: women, sports, music and above all, his beautiful and talented sons, Brennan, Robin and Carter," she continued. "Alan was a true and loyal friend. As Maggie and Jason Seaver, we experienced more than a life-changing success together. When you pretend to love someone day after day, year after year, you see all their faults and foibles and learn to accept them as they are, separate from you, and there is a connection that happens that is hard to explain. I had that with Alan. Maybe that's what marriage should be, the ability to love without judgment and the strength to remain separate." As Us Weekly previously reported, Thicke, 69, died suddenly on Tuesday, December 13, after suffering a heart attack while playing hockey with his son Carter. "I am devastated by Alan's passing and will be for some time," Kerns wrote. "I used to joke, before I met my real husband, Marc, that Alan was my favorite daytime husband. At work we laughed all day, every day at things Alan would come up with, usually at my expense. It was fun. Alan was fun and we all loved teasing each other. Alan kept me calm and when I'd start to get upset about something silly, he would set things straight, give me a big hug and very gently say, 'Maggie ... don't be an asshole.'" "There was a sweetness and kindness to his humor. No one could make fun of Alan better than Alan. As an actor, that is a gift, and I truly believe he was underrated," she added. "So here's to my dear friend Al, may you rest in peace and may your angels be youthful, tall, buxom and witty. May they also be as gorgeous as all of your wives and as generous and clever as you." Thicke's Growing Pains costars Kirk Cameron and Tracey Gold also shared heartfelt tributes to the Canadian-born star. Their sentiments were echoed by several Hollywood stars who knew and worked with the musician-turned-actor, including Leonardo DiCaprio who played a homeless teen on the sitcom for two years until the series ended in 1992. "I will be forever grateful for the opportunity I had to work with Alan early in my career," DiCaprio wrote in a Facebook post. "He had tremendous class, a huge heart, and he taught me and so many others the valuable lessons about humility and gratitude." (US Weekly)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Jimmy Kimmel Paid $15,000 to Host the 2017 Oscars. Jimmy Kimmel certainly didn't agree to host the 2017 Oscars for the money. When Kimmel appeared on KROQ's Kevin & Bean morning show Wednesday, he revealed that he's only being paid $15,000 to host the 89th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on Feb. 26. While the sum is significantly smaller than the scale of the event, Kimmel said producers had to pay him something. "You know why? I think it's illegal to pay nothing," the comedian joked. "I'm not sure I was supposed to reveal this, but nobody told me not to. I consider this their fault." This will be Kimmel's first time hosting the Oscars. Asked whether his pay is on par with previous hosts Billy Crystal and Chris Rock, for example, he replied, "That's what they told me." Kimmel's involvement in the annual awards ceremony was announced Dec. 5, about two months later than Oscar hosts are typically revealed. "They asked like 14 people and they all said no and then there was me," he joked about the late invitation. "I absolutely was surprised." Whether Jimmy Kimmel Live! will still produce its Academy Awards after-show remains to be seen, but Kimmel is staying optimistic. "We'll figure something out," he told the radio co-hosts. Of course, that comes secondary to the main event. "The producers and the Academy went through a long list of names, and in the end, they decided that -- since I am already right across the street from where they do the show -- I was the closest person to host," he joked last week. Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd are producing the 2017 Oscars. "Mike and Jennifer have a great working relationship and a tremendous love and respect for film," Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President, told E! News in a statement last month. "[They] will surely draw from their vast experience to create an exceptional and unforgettable event for movie fans everywhere." Boone Isaacs can't wait to see what Kimmel does. "Jimmy has the qualities of all the great hosts," she told E! News last week. "He knows who he is, he knows the audience and he knows how to captain a ship with many moving parts. We're thrilled he has agreed to host our show." The 89th Academy Awards will broadcast live Feb. 26 on ABC. (Eonline)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's First Photo as a Couple Is Finally Here. The wait is over! The very first photo of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as a couple has finally surfaced and it speaks volumes. The Sun claims that the images of the new couple were taken after the prince and the Suits star were leaving a theater date in London last week. After scoring tickets to see Peter Pan Goes Wrong at the Apollo Theatre, Meghan and Harry took an evening stroll through the neighborhood and enjoyed the Christmas lights. The publication claims that the couple was accompanied by one royal police protection officer. A source told the magazine, "They were clearly not afraid to be seen in public together." The twosome wore matching beanies and stayed bundled up in the cool night and appeared to be enjoying some quality time together after his blink-and-you-could-have-missed-it trip to Toronto. E! News reported that the royal stopped by his leading lady's home last week and the 35-year-old was last seen picking up flowers and attending a yoga class near her home in Canada. Just one day ago, however, Meghan hopped aboard a plane to visit her boyfriend in London before the holiday season kicked off. The American actress has yet to publicly speak about her relationship, however, the palace released a powerful message in the wake of "abuse and harassment" that Meghan had faced since the news of their relationship was made public. "Some of this has been very public -- the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments." The letter continued, "It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm." The prince "has asked for this statement to be issued in the hopes that those in the press who have been driving this story can pause and reflect before any further damage is done." News that the duo were officially a couple first began swirling back in October of this year. (Eonline)

Khloe Kardashian Flaunts Her Killer Curves on the Cover of Health Magazine & Calls Boyfriend Tristan Thompson a ''Little Cutie." Khloe Kardashian is looking red-hot! The Revenge Body With Khloe Kardashian star is looking super sexy on the January/February issue of Health magazine. For the cover shoot, the blond beauty flaunts her killer curves, toned legs and some sizzling cleavage in a red skintight body suit that's partially unzipped to reveal her bosom. Khloe strikes a smoldering stare with one hand on her hip. Hot damn! Inside the issue, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star opens up about how her divorce from Lamar Odom inspired her to get in the best shape of her life. "I was going through my divorce, and I just really needed an outlet. I had turned to food and had an unhealthy relationship with food my whole life, and I was like, 'Food has never helped me lose weight,'" Khloe told Health (issue on stands Dec. 23). "So I joined Equinox, and I would go there and put my headphones on and get on the elliptical or the stairs, and no one would bother me or ask me questions because even at Starbucks, I would get the, 'I'm sorry...' I would watch the Real Housewives or something mindless, and I felt like all the stress I was under, all the paparazzi, I blocked out all that noise. I escaped there and as a byproduct, I started losing weight. Then I thought, 'OK, i'm gonna call a trainer and Gunnar Peterson has been a family friend of ours.' He changed my body." These days Khloe says it's not about being a certain weight or waist size, it's just about feeling great in your body. "I don't care what weight I am. It's genuinely about me being healthy," she dished. "I was never like, 'I want to lose 30 pounds in 30 days.' Trust me: I've done juice cleanses. I did the Master cleanse. Like, what would Beyonce do? But it didn't work for my body and my lifestyle." Khloe also gushed over her "cutie" boyfriend Tristan Thompson. "I love athletes," she said. "Someone who has the same interests as me, who likes to work out, like that's their hobby or their job, that's fine. Tristan is who I'm into. He's a little cutie." Aw! (Eonline)

Zayn Malik opened up about how his romance with Gigi Hadid began in a new interview with radio station, Sirius. When asked how he managed to bag the Victoria Secret model, Zayn revealed that actually, it was pretty straight forward. "I just asked her, it was pretty straight up, I just asked her if she wanted to go on a date," he said. Let's face it. What more do you need to do when you're Zayn Malik? After discussing his new soundtrack for Fifty Shades Darker featuring Taylor Swift, the 23-year-old singer confessed that he has never watched the original movie or read any of the books, to which the radio DJ replied: "You lived the movie." Zayn then broke into laughter before saying, "I like that." Following the brief hint at his sex life, the topic soon moved onto what the Pillow Talk singer does best, music. He told the radio presenters that fans can expect "exciting stuff." However, he didn't give much else away. When asked what he's got in the pipeline, he said: "Hopefully new music... I'm in the studio at the minute working on the second record." If his first solo album is anything to go by, we can't wait to hear his new stuff! (British Glamour)

Music

Lauren Jauregui Apologizes to Brazilian Fans for Missing Fifth Harmony's Concert. Lauren Jauregui turned to Twitter Thursday morning to apologize for missing Fifth Harmony's concert in Saõ Paulo, Brazil Wednesday. The songstress posted her message in Portuguese, promising to make it up to her beloved fans. "My dear Brazilian harmonizers, I'm sorry I couldn't see you all. I didn't get on the plane on time and because of this I had to go to Atlanta," the message reads in English. "I promise you I'm going to do everything for you because I love each of you with all my heart. I'm sorry." Jauregui's absence comes shortly after she was stopped by TSA at Washington Dulles International Airport after a staffer discovered marijuana in her carry-on luggage. An attorney for the girl band and Jauregui told E! News that she was not arrested. "Lauren Jauregui was not arrested and detained as reported, but simply given a citation for possession of marijuana and released on her own recognizance," Dina LaPolt, attorney for the girl band and Jauregui tells E! News. "She will address the matter appropriately through the legal system. This will not interfere with any future scheduled performances or activities." As soon as the news broke, Harmonizers made #FreeLauren trend on Twitter. The girl group is slated to perform at Power 96.1's Jingle Ball this Friday. Fellow members Ally Brooke, Camila Cabello, Dinah Jane and Normani Kordei haven't commented on Jauregui's citation, but they did use Twitter to thank their Brazilian fans who attended their concert. (Eonline)

'DeLeon 100' to honor Miguel for bringing music to the next level. Thursday night, Miguel will be the first artist to be canonized by the DeLeón 100, a curated list of music industry trailblazers identified by Sean "Diddy" Combs in partnership with Billboard and DeLeón Tequila. "The DeLeón 100 is all about recognizing the tastemakers and trailblazers who are bringing music and culture to the next level," says Combs. "I'm always searching for people who are bold, fearless and doing their part to shape the future. Now, in partnership with Billboard, I will be celebrating and sharing their inspiring stories with the world." Miguel is a natural fit for the list: Since breaking out in 2010, the genre-agnostic singer-songwriter has continually pushed boundaries and displayed a unique artistry on each of his three hit albums. Most recently, he released the Rogue Waves EP, featuring five remixes of waves-a track off of his 2015 album, Wildheart-in various genres, including country. What's more, in his young career Miguel has already notched noteworthy collaborations with artists such as Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz, and won a 2013 Grammy for Best R&B Song (Adorn). Miguel will accept his latest honor Thursday night at a private party in Los Angeles, where he'll help ring in the introduction of the DeLeón 100 and treat guests to an intimate live performance. Other artists to be honored at Thursday night's event include Teyana Taylor, Machine Gun Kelly, Dave East, Vic Mensa, Arantza and Clay. In February, Billboard Magazine will release the full roster of DeLeón 100 honorees (in print and online at billboard.com) along with a short documentary film that details Miguel's career journey and his plans for the future. "DeLeón Tequila is honored to partner with Billboard on this extraordinary initiative," says Andrea Sengara, SVP Combs Wine and Spirits. "They are an industry leader and have paved the way for so many emerging talents. The program is designed to recognize people who have the courage to do things in their own way and with the perseverance to reach the next level." (Billboard)

Childish Gambino Strips Down, Channels Prince for 'Redbone' Performance on 'Tonight Show'. Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) brought it way, way down on The Tonight Show on Wednesday night (Dec. 14) for a sweet, soulful performance of the song "Redbone." Wearing shiny vinyl pants and no shirt, Glover stood on a darkened stage illuminated by deep red lights and blue lasers, channeling Prince as he crooned in a high, yearning falsetto, mixing in some Al Green soul on the Awaken, My Love! track about staying woke. The album debuted at No. 1 on the R&B Albums chart (dated Dec. 24), moving72,000 copies in the week ending Dec. 8, according to Nielsen Music. "Redbone" also reached a new peak, re-entering the Hot R&B Songs chart at No. 8 after originally landing on the Dec. 11 chart at No. 11. (Billboard)

Neil Diamond & James Corden Re-Write 'Sweet Caroline' as the Very NSFW 'Sweet Christmastime'. Maybe it was the custom ugly Christmas sweater with a picture of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer that had the song's title on it, but somehow The Late Late Show host James Corden convinced Neil Diamond to transform one of his most beloved hits into a raunchy track about how not to party at the holidays. On Wednesday night's (Dec. 14) show, "Sweet Caroline" was transformed into "Sweet Christmastime," an ode to all the bad choices people make at office parties that end up going on their permanent HR record. "We're coming up on Christmas time, but it also means we're coming into office holiday party season," Corden explained about why they decided to give "Caroline" a raunchy pdate. "Where it began/ The holiday office party/ Thought it would suck without a doubt," Diamond sang while perched on a stool in the middle of a forest of Christmas trees, next to a screen filled with images of bored office workers getting ready to let loose. "So we drank a few shots/ Spiked the eggnog with vodka/ Til everyone started making out," Corden added. The rest, well, let's just say someone got handsy with Stan, Val got a text she most likely did not want, Steve got a same-sex smooch and uglies were definitely bumped. Things went downhill very quickly from there. Check out the sloppy results: Diamond returned later in the show for a much more appropriate medley of wholesome holiday tunes from his Acoustic Christmas album. (Billboard)

The Killers Unveil Vinyl Reissue of Debut Album 'Hot Fuss'. The Killers are returning to where all the hot fuss began. The Las Vegas alt-rock band has unveiled a vinyl reissue of their triumphant 2004 debut album Hot Fuss, due Jan. 13 via UMe. The LP is being released on standard weight vinyl and as a limited-edition white vinyl pressing. The Killers took the fast ride to the top with Hot Fuss, which hit No. 1 in the U.K. and No. 7 and yielded the hit singles "Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me", "All These Things That I've Done" and "Smile Like You Mean It". Brandon Flowers' band this year celebrated the 10th anniversary of their sophomore album Sam's Town with live dates and a special release of the LP. (Billboard)

Movies

Chris Pratt Shows Off His Passengers Injuries (and Flexes His Biceps in the Process). Ouch! Chris Pratt is wrapping up his Passengers press tour, so he's giving fans last-minute reasons for why they should go and see his upcoming sci-fi flick that co-stars Jennifer Lawrence. Pratt took to Instagram early Thursday morning to show off some of the bruises he obtained while performing stunts on set, but really he's just showing off his bulging biceps (and we're totally OK with it). "See #Passengers on Dec. 21st and see if you can spot the stunt that caused these bruises!" he captioned the first picture. A shirtless Pratt stares seriously into the camera as he raises his arm to reveal the insane bruise that covers the better part of his underarm. Yikes! Pratt also shared a picture of his other arm that bared similar bruising. "Here's the other side," he wrote alongside the second photo. "No rest for the weary. I do (some of) my own stunts." Seriously, somebody get him an ice pack! Pratt has become known for his press tour social media moments, using Twitter and Instagram to showcase his sense of humor. He kicked off the Passengers tour with an epic ongoing prank in which he semi-cropped J.Law out of his photos, teasing fans with their off-screen chemistry. But Pratt's Instagram game was equally as strong while promoting Jurassic World. The 37-year-old star shared photos of bidets, fruit baskets with his toes and selfies in the makeup room. (Eonline)

When two A-list actors who also happen to be total goofballs spend a lot of time together shooting a movie, sometimes their on-set antics get a little carried away-and earn them shushes from their director. "Yeah, that happened a lot," Jennifer Lawrence told PEOPLE Wednesday at the Los Angeles premiere of Passengers -- the sci-fi/romance in which she stars alongside Chris Pratt. The duo's playful repartee, regular pranks and chatty chemistry sometimes proved too much of a distraction for filmmaker Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game) and his crew. "There were times where we really should have given Morten a break," she chuckled. "We were all in this together trying to finish this movie, and then we turn Morten into the principal [on the schoolyard]. But yeah. We probably got in the way a couple times." "Every once in a while we had to be shushed," agreed Pratt, 37. "We had a lot of fun. We were laughing a lot. She's better at switching immediately from goofball mode into serious acting mode, so sometimes I had to kind of shut it down and kind of go inward to get there. She just kind of turns it on and off real quick. So yeah, we got in a little trouble-but not too much." Lawrence, 26, said the pair never quite got scolded for their behavior. "No -- that's what happens when you're famous," she laughed, adding "[That's] my advice to you schoolchildren." "They were constantly being funny," explained Tyldum. "I was the serious one, and they were the funny ones. And I'm with the camera, I'm setting up a shot, and I'd constantly hear laughter and things going on, in the chairs where they are sitting." But the filmmaker said all the stars' goofing around helped create a rapport that grounded their characters in reality against the epic, futuristic backdrop and offset the more darkly emotional scenes: "There's a lot of big emotional scenes there, and I think to have that levity, to have that playfulness ... You can't be a whole day and go into a day like 'Today I'm going to hate you,' and 'Today I'm going to have a breakdown.' You can't go around in that dark cloud all day, so they need this lightness, to have this fun." Lawrence says she particularly savored one choice prank on Pratt. "I convinced the whole crew that he screamed like a woman once, because I screamed," she revealed. "I told everybody it was him." Pratt's been squeezing in his share of burns on Lawrence during the press tour for the film-he regularly posts photographs of himself on social media with the actress half cut out of the shots, and in a video interview together he asked her "You haven't even seen it yet," he insisted. "There's a good one coming!" Passengers hits theaters on Dec. 21 (People)

TV

The View Co-Hosts Dish on Raven-Symone and Candace Cameron Bure's Exits. As the ladies of The View gear up to take their seats at the table for the last time in 2016, the panel is in flux -- but the show must go on. On Friday, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines and Jedediah Bila will throw on their most festive sweaters in honor of the show's signature holiday episode. This year, segments will feature Patti LaBelle cooking her famous peach cobbler and Darlene Love's annual performance of "All Alone on Christmas." "We love Darlene Love and we have fun and we sing," Behar told E! News. "I'm a backup singer for her -- it's fabulous." While the stage Friday will be festive and full, there will be two View ladies missing -- Raven-Symone and Candace Cameron Bure. The former Disney star announced her departure from the show in late October and Bure signed off on Dec. 9. While the panel is down two women, questions are bubbling around whether or not those posts will ever be filled at the already-packed table. "I don't know that there will be new additions because we have six people with five chairs," Hostin told E! News, referencing fellow co-host Paula Faris. "So, with the sixth person, it allows us all to do other projects. I feel that we all like each other, really like each other. We're all friends." "Well, we all make jokes about how many people there are, so I wouldn't guess that they're trying to add more," Haines echoed. "I like the way it looks now." Still, for 20 seasons, the show's concept has been based around having a balanced group of co-hosts with varying political perspectives -- something Bila hopes to maintain moving forward. "My hope for the show is that we have a balance at the table always," she told E! News. "It's called The View and I hope everyone around the country can say that person just spoke to me, for me a little bit. So I hope we continue to have the balance we've always had." Still, the absence is felt by the women who remain. "Raven, I miss. I know she's always had bigger projects that she's wanted to do, but I tell her all the time, 'Please come back,'" Haines told E! News. "Candace, I'm going to miss. I got the honor of working with her and anyone who's ever met her knows she's one of the sweetest people...I remember her talking at times about how she's such a family first person and I remember when we first started, we had a heart-to-heart once and I said to her, 'I don't know how you do this.' And she said, 'I don't know how long I'll be able to do it.' And it was such a heavy burden for her. When she left, I said, 'I'm sad, selfishly, to see you go, but I'm so happy for you.' She needs to be with her family." "It's always hard when the dynamic at the table changes," Bila added. "It's always an adjustment. I've been watching both Raven and Candace for years as actresses so I used to tell them, 'I feel like I'm part of a sitcom.' It's always hard, but I'm excited to see what they're doing next and I'm a firm believer where your heart takes you, you gotta go." Leave it to the show's 20-season veteran, Behar, to put it all in perspective. "This show has always been a rotating cocktail party as far as I'm concerned," she told E! News. "I've been here for many years -- they come, they go, they sit, they leave, they have bigger careers, they have smaller careers... it's like, whatever." The View airs weekdays on ABC at 11 a.m. ET. (Eonline)

How Fuller House Made Candace Cameron Bure and Andrea Barber's Lifelong Dreams Come True. For the ladies of Fuller House -- particularly Andrea Barber and Candace Cameron Bure -- having New Kids On The Block guest star is a dream come true. A 30-year dream come true. "We've been wanting New Kids on the Block on the show for 30 years," Barber, who plays Kimmy Gibbler on the series, said in the behind-the-scenes video. "Seeing the New Kids on the Block in the living room on the Fuller House couch blew my mind." "That was, for Andrea and Candace, something they had always wanted," Jodie Sweetin, Stephanie Tanner on the Netflix comedy, said. "It's a dream come true." Fuller House is the sequel series to Full House, which ran from 1989-1995, the New Kids on the Block heyday. "Back in the day, we never did any guest spots," NKOTB member Joey McIntyre said. "So, yeah, it was fun." The men of NKOTB were well aware of Full/Fuller House's desire to have them on the show. "It's so cool we're finally able to do it," Jonathan Knight said. Cameron Bure and Barber went to New Kids on the Block concerts together in the 1990s and still go together. In fact, Barber brought in all of her NKOTB merchandise and outfitted the crew and extras in the scene. The ladies were so into the guest spot, they even sent notes to the prop department to get the stage set right and make sure the men had color-coded microphones like at their concerts. "We got to actually sing their songs on stage with them," Barber said. "I mean, in what universe am I living?" "It by far is my favorite episode of the season," Cameron Bure said. Fuller House season two is now streaming on Netflix. (Eonline)

Elizabeth Hurley's Son Damian Make His Debut on The Royals as a Spoiled Reality Star in Hilarious Sneak Peek. It's ain't easy being royal and beautiful. Elizabeth Hurley's son Damian Hurley makes his debut on The Royals as a spoiled German prince turned reality star in this sneak peek from Sunday's all-new episode! While Queen Helena is sick in bed, she stumbles across the television show Royal & Beautiful, in which a rich, young monarch is making his manservant work out...while carrying him on his back! But when the poor butler complains about the pain, the prince is extremely offended! "His back? What about my feelings?" he whines. "I am the crowned prince of Lichtenstein. He needs to bow down to the crown. Nobody understands what it's like to be royal and beautiful. Nobody!" Well, that's not entirely true because the Queen certainly appreciates that struggle! Meanwhile, Liz previously chatted with E! News about how proud she was of her son for joining season three. "He was always there -- he was assisting, he was running lines with actors and everybody always said, 'You'll be in it one day, Damian.' And then suddenly it came that they'd written this part," she explained. "It was just fabulous for him to have this time to step up." Well done! Watch a brand-new episode of The Royals Sunday at 10 p.m., only on E! (Eonline)

Who Won Survivor: Millennials Vs. Gen X? That was exhausting and exhilarating, but what a beautiful ending. Since we went into Wednesday night's Survivor finale with six people still remaining in the game, we had to spend two whole hours getting rid of three of them. It was basically challenge after tribal council after challenge after tribal council, and there were twists and turns every step of the way. Part of that was thanks to David, who crafted a fake immunity idol out of beads he collected throughout the season (which made us giggle, for some reason) and managed to fool Jay into thinking he was safe. Unfortunately for him, all he had collected was a craft project, and he was sent off to the jury. Brett and David then ended up being voted out next, and it was down to Adam, Hannah, and Ken. There was almost no mystery as to who was leaving with a million dollars by the time we cut to present day and Jeff started reading the votes. Adam Klein, the 25 year old millennial who was playing for his mother after she was diagnosed with lung cancer, took every single jury vote, and to no one's surprise, won Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X. He then completely and totally broke our hearts when he described his reunion with his mom after he got back to San Francisco. "I got home and I was able to tell her, I said mom, I love you so much, and she was there with me. She was," he told Jeff Probst during the reunion special. "And she said, I love you, I said I love you. She said, don't stop saying that. ... And she died an hour after I got home." So yeah, we were sobbing as he sobbed, and we continued sobbing throughout the reunion special as Jeff described the transformative journeys of so many contestants throughout the season. Who could have foreseen Millennials vs. Gen X being such a beautiful experience? We certainly didn't, but we should have. Survivor returns in the spring to CBS with Survivor: Game Changers, which returns to Fiji with some of the show's most competitive players ever. That includes this season's McKayla, Blood & Water's Sierra, among many others! (Eonline)

Star Trek: Discovery Has Found Its Lead in Sonequa Martin-Green. Rejoice, Trekkies! After an exhaustive search, it appears we finally have our lead actress for CBS All Access' upcoming Star Trek: Discovery. Sonequa Martin-Green, known well by fans of genre TV thanks to her work on The Walking Dead, has been tapped to star in the first Trek series in a decade. She'll play a lieutenant commander on the Discovery, according to EW, who first reported the news. Martin-Green makes history as the first African-American woman to lead the cast of one of the franchise's ensembles. Not only that, but Discovery marks another first by making its main protagonist someone other than a captain -- something that was important to then-executive producer Bryan Fuller when he spoke about the series with reporters back in August. "We've seen six series from the captain's point of view," he explained. "To see a character from a [new] perspective on the starship -- one who has different dynamic relationships with a captain, with subordinates, it gave us richer context." (Fuller stepped down from duties earlier this fall to focus on his upcoming Starz series, American Gods.) The 13-episode first season, which will be made available weekly on CBS All Access following a two-hour launch on CBS in May, will follow an incident in the history of Starfleet that other series/movies in the franchise have touched upon, but never actually explored. Martin-Green's involvement in the show is sure to have fans wondering about the fate of her character on TWD, Sasha, who is still very much alive. However, per EW, she will continue on as a series regular on the hit AMC series. CBS TV Studios declined to comment on her casting. Martin-Green joins a cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, Doug Jones, Chris Obi, Shazad Latif, Mary Chieffo and Anthony Rapp -- who, in another first for the series, will play an openly-gay lieutenant. Are you excited about the news, Star Trek fans? (Eonline)

The How I Met Your Mother Spinoff Might Be Happening Again, But This Time It's Got a This Is Us Connection. Turns out we may get to find out how I met your father after all! Nearly three years after the end of How I Met Your Mother, there's a spinoff in the works, but it's not the spinoff you may think you already heard about. Just after the end of the series, there was a pilot called How I Met Your Dad, starring Greta Gerwig (who talks about the show in the video) and written by HIMYM executive producers Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, along with Emily Spivey. CBS shockingly decided not to pick that pilot up, and now the whole concept is getting a rewrite from This Is Us co-executive producers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, E! News has confirmed. Bays and Thomas will serve as executive producers. The new pilot will be called How I Met Your Father, and will once again be told from a female perspective, but it's not a typical spinoff, since it has no connection to the original show other the basic premise. Deadline, who first reported the news, described it as a "brand new take on the premise with new characters and new writers." While this is just a pilot script at 20th TV right now, it sounds pretty promising...as long as they don't decide to divorce our favorite couple and kill off the dad in the finale or anything. (We're not still bitter at all!) (Eonline)

Lucy Hale to Host 'New Year's Rockin' Eve's' First Countdown From New Orleans. Panic! at the Disco and Jason Derulo are set to perform during the show's inaugural live Central Time Zone countdown. Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale has signed on to host Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest's first-ever live Central Time Zone countdown, from New Orleans. Meanwhile, Panic! at the Disco and Jason Derulo are set to perform from the Allstate Fan Fest in New Orleans, where locals and tourists annually celebrate the new year ahead of the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The New Orleans segments also will include exclusive celebrity and fan interviews leading up to the midnight countdown and a fleur-de-lis drop near Jackson Square to ring in the New Year. Ryan Seacrest will lead the traditional countdown to midnight live from New York, with Jenny McCarthy reporting live from Times Square, while Fergie returns to host the Billboard Hollywood Party in Los Angeles. The live telecast kicks off at 8 p.m. (live on the East Coast; tape-delayed in the Pacific Time Zone) Saturday, Dec. 31, on ABC. The news comes a day after Lionel Richie joined the performers lineup for the New Year's Eve special. The singer will perform from Las Vegas moments after the ball drops in Times Square, singing his hit "All Night Long" immediately following the midnight countdown and celebration. He joins previously announced performers including Mariah Carey, DNCA, Thomas Rhett and Gloria Estefan and the cast of her Broadway musical On Your Feet! Fergie also will perform at The Billboard Hollywood Party, with additional performances by Alessia Cara, Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink and Ty Dolla $ign, Flo Rida featuring Macy Kate, G-Eazy featuring Bebe Rexha, Martin Garrix also with Bebe Rexha, Niall Horan, John Legend, Lukas Graham, Shawn Mendes, Mike Posner, Emeli Sande and Hailee Steinfeld. The broadcast is produced by Dick Clark Productions, with Seacrest, Allen Shapiro and Mike Mahan serving as executive producers and Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are co-executive producers. Larry Klein is producer.?(Hollywood Reporter)

Casey Affleck, Chance the Rapper Have Big Plans for the Rockefeller Christmas Tree in New 'SNL' Promo. The 'Manchester by the Sea' actor tries to get into the holiday spirit. Casey Affleck and Chance the Rapper try to get into the holiday spirit in the new promo for Saturday Night Live's Dec. 17 episode. Host Affleck and musical guest Chance try to top the Christmas tree at New York's Rockefeller Center with a star using the tiniest of ladders. "I don't think we thought this through," the actor says as the Chicago rapper whips out his two-rung ladder. "You just gotta believe," says the optimistic Chance. "Believe in what?," Affleck asks before Chance offers, "Uh ... Christmas." He also defends his ladder choices in the clip after Affleck calls it a "foot stool." "I'm not gonna listen to any more slander about this ladder. You know what this ladder means to me," he says. Affleck scored a SAG Award nomination on Wednesday morning for his role in Manchester by the Sea, as well as a Golden Globe nom on Monday. This week's SNL will mark Chance's second appearance after performing on the late-night NBC series last year. Earlier this month, the "No Problem" MC asked his fans on Twitter to curate his setlist. "I've been trying to perform EVERY song from Coloring Book on television once," he shared on his timeline. "I've done 5 so far. What do you want to see me do on #SNL?" Tune in to SNL on Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. (Hollywood Reporter)

He's ready for a second chance! Steve Harvey will be returning to host Miss Universe 2016 after his major slipup at the 2015 pageant, when he announced the wrong winner. The Family Feud host, 59, will emcee the show, which will take place in the Philippines, while Ashley Graham will serve as a backstage host. In case you need a refresher: During the Miss Universe 2015 pageant, in Las Vegas, Harvey incorrectly announced that Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez was the winner. She received the crown, sash and flowers and waved to the crowd before Harvey realized his error and interrupted the celebrations. "I have to apologize, the first runner-up is Colombia," he said. "Let me just take control of this. This is exactly what's on the card." The winner was actually Miss Philippines, Pia Wurtzbach. "I will take responsibility for this. It was my mistake ... horrible mistake," he told the crowd. The Steve Harvey Show host later revealed that he was inundated with death threats and horrible social media comments after the live flub. "It was four minutes of pure hell. ... It was the most gut-wrenching walk I've ever had in my life," he said of returning to the stage to admit his mistake. Harvey will get a chance to correctly announce the winner when Miss Universe 2016 airs on Fox Sunday, January 29, at 7 p.m. ET. (US Weekly)

Howie Mandel to Host Canadian Screen Awards. The comic and actor will emcee this year's ceremony in Toronto, where Mandel was born and raised. America's Got Talent judge Howie Mandel is set to host the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards. The prolific Canadian comic and actor will emcee the ceremony, which is air on the CBC on March 12 from Toronto, where Mandel was born and raised. "I don't only look at it as honoring the best in Canadian entertainment, but more importantly, I am so excited about the free trip home!" Mandel said in a statement. The Screenies, organized by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, honor Canadians for the best in homegrown film, TV and digital content. Besides his America's Got Talent gig on NBC, Mandel is producing the upcoming series Caraoke Showdown hosted by Craig Robinson for Spike TV. (Hollywood Reporter)

He's gone from the anchor's desk to the cubicle behind the anchor's desk. TV insiders are snickering that after Ronan Farrow's MSNBC show "Ronan Farrow Daily" was canceled, the former host is still on-camera every day -- he just sits at a cubicle over the shoulder of his replacement, Thomas Roberts, from 1 to 3 p.m. Farrow's also at his desk during Tamron Hall's show and others. "He's behind them all day, typing," noticed an insider who's been charting his movements. "Yesterday he left at 3:30?p.m." The source said he also can be seen "getting up to go to the bathroom," putting his jacket on, and heading to lunch or talking on the phone. When Farrow's show got axed last year, it was announced he'd move to a role as a "special investigative correspondent" contributing to specials and other programming. An NBC source told us that Farrow "sits with the entire investigative unit, they are in that area on-camera," which includes Stephanie Gosk and Rich McHugh. But another NBC source said of Farrow since his show was canceled: "Poor guy. He does nothing. He's very nice, but other than a few pieces that [NBC News] pushes -- including one on nukes last month -- he just sits at a desk. They try to justify his salary." In November, Farrow contributed to a five-month investigation for the piece "Welcome to the Most Toxic Place in America," about a Washington state nuclear site. He's also contributed reports on "drunkorexia," "academic doping," sexual assault on college campuses and gender transition in college. Dashing Farrow's also famously the son of Mia Farrow and estranged dad Woody Allen. A source said, "It's no secret that NBC loves paying celeb kids: Chelsea [Clinton], two Bushes .?.?. Luke Russert. Ronan is a part of a string of high-paid relatives .?.?. They think it gives 'access.'?" Either way, Farrow's logging more hours than ever on-camera, and doesn't even need hair and makeup. A rep for MSNBC did not comment. (Page Six)

'The Honeymooners' Reboot in the Works at CBS. 'Muppets' alum Bob Kushell is attached to pen the script for the reboot of the Jackie Gleason starrer. CBS is going "straight to the moon." The network has put in development a modern-day reboot of one of television's most iconic comedies: The Honeymooners. The multicamera comedy hails from Bob Kushell, who will pen the script and executive produce the CBS Television Studios comedy. The new take centers on two couples -- best friends and neighbors like the original -- who contend with a new dynamic when one couple remarries after divorcing four years earlier. Kushell, the well-liked showrunner who most recently developed ABC's Muppets reboot, will executive produce alongside Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum as well as Jeff Greenstein (Mom, Will & Grace, Desperate Housewives, Friends). The Honeymooners expands CBS' relationship with CBS Television Studios-based Beverly and Timberman as well as the Tannenbaums, who together exec produce the network's reboot of another comedy classic: The Odd Couple. The original Honeymooners starred Jackie Gleason (as Ralph Kramden), Audrey Meadows (Alice), Art Carney (Ed) and Joyce Randolph (Trixie). It was based on a recurring 1950s sketch that originally aired on the DuMont network's Cavalcade of Stars and eventually on CBS' The Jackie Gleason Show. The Honeymooners debuted as a half-hour series in 1955, becoming the No. 2 show in the country during its freshman run. The series wrapped after only 39 episodes in 1956. Creator, producer and star Gleason revived the series sporadically until 1978. The classic sitcom ranks as one of the first U.S. TV series to portray working-class married couples in a gritty setting -- with episodes largely taking place in the families' rundown Brooklyn apartment building. (Repeats of The Honeymooners currently air on MeTV.) The CBS project marks the latest revival of The Honeymooners. A feature film version, from Paramount Pictures and starring Cedric the Entertainer, Gabrielle Union, Mike Epps and Regina Hall, debuted in 2005 to poor reviews and a disappointing box-office. The Honeymooners reboot comes as family comedies continue to remain in high demand this development season as broadcast networks look for more inclusive, broad-skewing fare that appeals to underserved audiences. For its part, Netflix in January will debut a new take on Norman Lear's sitcom classic One Day at a Time, with the iconic producer attached. Reboots continue to remain in high demand as broadcast, cable and streaming outlets look for proven IP in a bid to cut through a cluttered scripted landscape that is quickly approaching 500 original series. Key to the remakes is having the original producers involved in some capacity as more studios look to monetize their existing libraries. (Given the network aired and distributed the original that much is true for The Honeymooners.) Already in the works this season are reboots of Car Wash (ABC), Sneakers (NBC), Enemy of the State (ABC),Dynasty (The CW), War of the Worlds (MTV), Magnum P.I. (ABC), The Lost Boys (CW), Varsity Blues (CMT), The Departed (Amazon), Let the Right One In (TNT) and L.A. Law, among many others. Kushell, whose credits include 3rd Rock From the Sun, The Simpsons and Samantha Who, is repped by Hansen Jacobson. Greenstein is with CAA and Jackoway Tyerman; the Tannenbaums are with CAA; and Timberman-Beverly is also with CAA and Hansen Jacobson. (Hollywood Reporter)