ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Molly Sims Gives Birth to Baby No. 3 -- Her Son's Adorable Debut! Molly Sims has added yet another handsome guy in her life. The supermodel and actress announced that she and husband Scott Stuber welcomed their third child, a son. Posting a beautiful photo with her newborn, Sims shared the happy news on Instagram, while also revealing what they decided to name the little guy: "Welcome to the world Grey Douglas Stuber 1.10.17 Words do not express how grateful and happy we are to have another piece of magic added to our little tribe! #blessed #tribeof5." The pair are also parents to 4-year-old son Brooks Alan and 1-year-old daughter Scarlett May. The 43-year-old now-mother of three kept fans updated throughout her pregnancy by sharing insight on her blog. And she didn't shy away from keeping it real, either. In a recent blog post, Sims teased herself for becoming a "crazy bitch." "I've just been a little bit irritated I think because I'm tired," Sims explained. "I feel like [the baby's] on my knees about to give, come out of me." As for how she has dealt with her "crazy hormonal" changes, Molly shared that she's kept herself busy with tidying up around the house. "I have been cleaning that effing house; I have thrown everything away," she told us, adding, "My husbands like, 'We're not going to have anything left... I did nine big trash bags of clothes out of my closet last week." Sims also explained that adjusting her little ones to the forthcoming arrival has "definitely [gone] better than what I thought." She continued, "I am always worried, especially for Scarlett, but I don't know! I'm like, 'Gosh, [Brooks] has been the oldest for so long and everything revolves around him.' Like a gift came this morning for the baby and he's like, 'Is this for the baby?! He's so lucky!' I'm like, 'Are you OK?'" It looks like Sims will have plenty of tiny helpers with baby Grey. Congratulations to the family! (Eonline)
Prince Harry "Truly in Love" With Meghan Markle as Friends Predict Engagement Later This Year. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are proving you can be truly in love and truly private. While the famous couple continues their romance around the world, fans are still unable to see numerous pictures of the royal family member and the Suits star together. But before you get discouraged, this relationship remains the real deal. "Harry is truly in love," a source shared with E! News. "They're very serious." In addition, our insider says that those close to Harry and Meghan wouldn't be surprised if there will be an engagement announcement sometime this year." Followers of the couple may not be surprised to hear the news. After all, these two have experienced more than a few romantic memories in private. Earlier this week, E! News confirmed that the duo kicked off 2017 by traveling to Norway for a private vacation. In addition to seeing the Northern Lights, reports claimed that the pair enjoyed whale-watching and sunsets in the snow. A source later told E! News that the couple also spent the New Year together in London before traveling to their next destination. "Harry is more serious [about Meghan] then he ever has been about a woman before," a source previously shared with E! News. "It wouldn't surprise me if he's already thinking about engagement just because that's where his head goes." As to when we may see this duo photographed together again, speculation is brewing about an upcoming wedding in March. A source tells E! News that Prince Harry is slated to attend his best friend Tom Inskip's ceremony later this spring in Jamaica. As to whether or not Meghan will join the fun, it's too early to say. Royal watchers will be watching. (Eonline)
Alleged new lovebirds Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara have holed up, Page Six has exclusively learned, at the celebrity spot We Care Spa in Desert Hot Springs, Calif. A favorite of Gwen Stefani, Heidi Klum and Gisele Bündchen, the place is known for its juice cleanses and colonics. Page Six reported Wednesday that Phoenix and Mara play Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene in an upcoming movie and fell for each other while filming in Italy. A source said of the actors: "They found love on the set" of "Mary Magdalene," and that they were "holed up in the desert" over Golden Globes weekend. A different source told us of their current romantic getaway: "They are there continuing to 'find love,' but also some health, as he is doing his annual pilgrimage to the spa." The source added: "Joaquin and his lady love are down for some R&R, sipping juices and a few colonics .?.?. good times!" Mara's rep did not comment on our previous story about the pair's relationship, while Phoenix's rep explained that the co-stars are just close friends. Neither got back to us about the spa getaway. We hear that the pair's not staying on-site at the spa but rather nearby. Mara's been in a six-year relationship with Charlie McDowell -- the director son of British actor Malcolm McDowell. (Page Six)
Orange Is the New Black's Lea DeLaria Splits From Girlfriend Chelsea Fairless. Orange Is the New Black star Lea DeLaria has just announced that she and her longtime girlfriend Chelsea Fairless have ended their engagement and relationship. DeLaria posted a funny photo on Instagram of her with Chelsea and Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor and wrote, "Apparently this was an eerily prophetic choice of engagement photo as our relationship has since gone the way of David and Liza, with one small exception: our split is amicable. Please exclude us from the tragic and basic celebrity breakup narrative. We were happy together for four years and will remain in each other's lives. In fact, we look forward to finding new ways to torture each other. We would like to thank our incredible friends and families for their love and support ? xoxo Lea &@female_trouble." Back in February 2015, DeLaria (who plays Big Boo on the hit Netflix series) revealed that she had popped the question to Fairless. "We met through Orange. Her dear friend plays Leanne on the show. She introduced us and we've been together ever since," DeLaria told E! News exclusively at the time her engagement news made headlines. "I proposed to her. Everyone saw how emotional I was... I was so filled with love. I turned to her at the Netflix party [after the 2015 SAG Awards] and asked her to marry me. We announced it to all of our friends there." And now, it appears that the two have decided to part ways and remain friends. Here's to a happy 2017 for both DeLaria and Fairless. (Eonline)
Billie Lourd returned to Instagram on Wednesday, January 11, to pay tribute to her late mother, Carrie Fisher, who died just two weeks ago. "'If my life weren't funny then it would just be true and this is unacceptable,'" the Scream Queens star wrote, quoting her mom in the caption for a sweet throwback pic with the Star Wars actress. "Finding the funny might take a while," Lourd, 24, continued, "but I learned from the best and her voice will forever be in my head and in my heart." Fisher died on December 27 at the age of 60, days after suffering a massive heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles; her mother, screen legend Debbie Reynolds, died the following day after she had a stroke at her son Todd Fisher's home in Beverly Hills. She was 84. The Singin' in the Rain star was laid to rest with some of her daughter's ashes at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in L.A. on January 6, a day after Fisher's life was celebrated by her A-list friends at the Postcards From the Edge writer's Beverly Hills home. Lourd, who is Fisher's only child, broke her silence on January 2 after their sudden deaths, taking to Instagram to thank fans for their well wishes in an emotional post. "Receiving all of your prayers and kind words over the past week has given me strength during a time I thought strength could not exist," she captioned a photo of herself as a young girl with her mom and grandmother. "There are no words to express how much I will miss my Abadaba and my one and only Momby. Your love and support means the world to me." (US Weekly)
Brad Paisley Imposter Asking Fans for Money. Watch out for faux Brad Paisleys! The country music star warned his fans on Wednesday to be skeptical of imposter accounts asking for money. "Come on people. Don't fall for this crap. Don't send money to anybody claiming to be me. Or anyone else either," he wrote on Twitter, responding to a fan who asked if he had really messaged her seeking cash. "Look out for an account that looks like BP's," another fan wrote, "I was contacted by. Didn't fall for it!" Another commented, "they are all over the place guys, please block them, a artist would never ask a fan for that." For the record, in 2011 Forbes reported that the 44-year-old singer made $40 million. He probably isn't struggling too much. (PageSix)
Kim Kardashian wants justice handed down hard against the people who robbed her, but we've learned her participation will go down thousands of miles from Paris. Turns out, Kim won't have to travel to France to testify against the people who apparently will be charged with the multi-million dollar jewelry heist. Under French law, crime victims don't have to confront the alleged perpetrators in court. The way the system works ... the judge conducts interviews outside the courtroom. What's more ... we're told judges will sometimes travel long distances to interview crime victims, and the lawyers we've spoken to in France tell us Kim's case fits the bill for a judge to travel to the U.S. and have a chitchat with her. Under French law, the alleged criminals don't have the right to cross-examine her, so everything can be done in private ... without the alleged perpetrators or their lawyers looking on. (TMZ)
Zsa Zsa Gabor's former p.r. rep Edward Lozzi claims her husband, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, is holding her ashes "hostage" in order to get back at Lozzi and Gabor's celebrity pals for boycotting the funeral Anhalt planned. "The ashes are now with Frederic. We were going to have a private memorial for her friends like Larry King, George Hamilton and Carol Channing," Lozzi told us. "We've been checking every day with [Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery], and as of [Wednesday], she's not there. She's supposed to be buried with her sister Eva [and daughter] Francesca." Anhalt has said Gabor's ashes will be interred in Budapest, Hungary, with her father. Lozzi says, "What's he going to do, FedEx them? .?.?. He hasn't left the country since the '80s." Anhalt did not take our call, but his assistant laughed at the thought of him holding Gabor's ashes hostage. Westwood did not comment. We saw the grieving hubby circulating at a Golden Globes after-party. (Page Six)
Soulja Boy's House Burglarized Amid Feud With Chris Brown. Soulja Boy's home recently became the target of a thief. The rapper's Hollywood Hills house was burglarized Tuesday morning, a Los Angeles police detective confirmed to E! News. Currently, there are no suspects. The mystery thief made off with $10,000 in cash and $12,000 in jewelry, according to TMZ. Soulja Boy was not in the house at the time of the crime, but whoever made their way into the home broke down the door to do so. According to TMZ's report, the property is equipped with surveillance cameras and one allegedly got a shot of the thief in action. This isn't the first time the Grammy nominee has been the victim of a break-in. In 2008, several men got into the house and threatened the rapper and two friends with guns while they were working on new music. Meanwhile, the crime falls amid an ongoing feud between the star and Chris Brown. The fight ignited after Brown allegedly threatened to fight Soulja Boy for liking a picture of the "Zero" singer's ex, Karrueche Tran, on Instagram. "Chris brown just called me and said he wanna fight me because I liked @karrueche picture on Instagram this n---a a bitch," Soulja Boy tweeted. The two shot back at each other continuously on social media, resulting in a request from Brown to physically meet in the boxing ring. As the exchanges continue to roll in, Mike Tyson, 50 Cent and Floyd Mayweather have also gotten involved. Tyson vowed to train Brown and Mayweather seems to have Soulja Boy's back. Meanwhile, 50 Cent placed a bet and seems to be playing coordinator. (Eonline)
The first suspect in Kim Kardashian's robbery case has been officially charged ... and the guy's got a few years behind him. French authorities pressed charges against a 63-year-old man Thursday who was arrested in connection to the robbery who's only been ID'd as Yunice A. He's reportedly facing charges of armed robbery in an organized gang, kidnapping and criminal association. Cops have also requested he stay locked up in their custody for the time being. This is the first of 17 men arrested in connection to the crime who's been formally charged. (TMZ)
THE OTHER STUFF . . .
When Mahershala Ali Auditioned for Game of Thrones it Didn't Go Very Well. Oh, what could have been... Mahershala Ali, who was just up for a Golden Globe for his work in the critically-acclaimed Moonlight, once auditioned for Game of Thrones. Since he's not on Game of Thrones, you can kind of tell how that went. "I think my audition guaranteed that I wasn't almost on Game of Thrones," Ali told Jimmy Kimmel when the host asked what happened. "That was one of the worst auditions of my life." Ali audition for the part of the "merchant who gets locked in a safe in season three or something like that," which seems to be Xaro Xhoan Daxos. "I'd gone in for this casting director before, and I felt like I had two other wonky auditions with her, but I was really prepared this time around," he said. "Totally off-book, had all my lines memorized. Had this whole thing worked out with this chair... had my stuff all worked out... " But then he went into the HBO offices and was met with two stools, where he proceeded to sit and act a little stiff. The casting director told him to loosen up, all because there was no back to his chair. "Now you know, you got to bring a chair with you next time," the Jimmy Kimmel Live host said. However, he went on to be quite a force on TV. Ali was nominated for an Emmy for his recurring work as Remy Danton on Netflix's House of Cards and joined the Marvel universe in Luke Cage as Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes. On the big screen, Ali is getting buzz for his work as Juan in Moonlight and stole hearts in Hidden Figures. (Eonline)
Paris Jackson ''Incredibly Offended'' by Joseph Fiennes' Michael Jackson Casting, Says It Makes Her ''Want to Vomit." The Jackson family isn't done reacting to the first photos of Joseph Fiennes playing Michael Jackson in the made-for-television film Urban Myths. Paris Jackson, the late legend's daughter, took to Twitter to share her disgust over the controversial casting, writing, "I'm so incredibly offended by it, as I'm sure plenty of people are as well, and it honestly makes me want to vomit." The tweet comes on the heels of Michael's nephew Taj Jackson weighing in on the matter on social media as well. "Unfortunately, this is what my family has to deal with. No words could express the blatant disrespect." Fiennes is portraying the Grammy-winning icon in the television film on Sky Arts, which is centered around the road trip that Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando took with Jackson. The famous trio drove from New York City to Ohio after the September 11th attacks. And it's not just the Jackson family who disapproves of the casting, fans have created a petition to boycott the film. "It's easy to see why the story would make a compelling film -- but it's harder to understand why the actor best known for his role in Shakespeare in Love was the first choice to play one of the world's most iconic black musicians," the petition states. The petition is currently nearing its target goal of 25,000 signatures. (Eonline)
Lindita Halimi grew up during the war in Kosovo, so eating was an act of survival. "We never knew when the next time was we were going to eat," Halimi, 27, tells PEOPLE in this week's Half Their Size feature. "It was the worst feeling in the world, not being able to eat when you wanted to. So, when the war ended, I ate uncontrollably to make up for all the times that I couldn't. And it took a wrong turn." The singer began eating entire pizzas, family-size bags of candy and almost entire jars of Nutella by herself. "Everything that's fattening, I ate it excessively," she says. Halimi, who is 5'4?, and goes by just her first name professionally, reached a high weight of 250 lbs. "I gained the weight when I was between 17 and 20," she says. "Those three to four years of my life were miserable. Honestly, I was okay with my weight, but it turned into health issues. I couldn't breathe easily, I'd catch colds, flus, pneumonia. [And I was] bullied. Every time I would show up to class, people would be like, 'Oh look, the big elephant is here.' " After a woman on the train offered up her seat to an 18-year-old Halimi, thinking she was pregnant, she decided that she had to make a change. But when it came to actually losing weight, she didn't know where to start. She Googled weight loss tips and found healthy cooking tutorials on YouTube. "I'd look for recipes with salmon -- salmon and eggs are the main things I eat," says Halimi. Lindita had already lost a significant amount of weight when she moved to the United States in 2013 and auditioned for American Idol, where she made it to the top 25. "Idol inspired me to keep working towards being a singer," says Halimi, who currently lives in Atlanta with her husband of three years. "My main goal is to get a Grammy. I'm not stopping until I get there!" Her next stop? Representing her home country of Albania in Eurovision in May. Until then, Halimi -- who has lost a total of 130 lbs. and lifts weights daily -- hopes to open her own gyms here in the U.S. "Now I work out for me," she says. "I'm not trying to be the cutest girl in the gym. I'm just trying to feel good in my body and in my skin." (People)
Wayne Brady may be in joining the cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda's über sold-out musical Hamilton, but that doesn't mean his friends can expect free tickets. The 44-year-old actor -- who begins performances as Aaron Burr (sir) in the Chicago cast of the historical hip-hopera on Tuesday -- recorded told TMZ that he's not the one to come to for handouts. "I don't get no damn comps," he said in the clip. "Specifically, let me repeat that now: I don't get no damn comps. Either you have to be related to me by blood or we're sleeping together, and then you will get a free ticket." Brady, an Emmy winner for his work on the improv hit Whose Line Is It Anyway?, is scheduled for a three-month run in Chicago's Hamilton -- which opened September 27 at the PrivateBank Theatre. His last performance is set through April 9. "I have been ready for this role since I saw Leslie [Odom Jr.] do it when it first opened," he told TMZ. "I've wanted to do this so, so badly." His 13-year-old daughter, Maile Masako Brady, has also wanted her father to do Hamilton so, so badly. A Hamilton-superfan, Brady recounted how she jumped out of bed screaming "Oh God -- we're going to Chicago! We're going to Chicago!" when she learned the news. "That was our Christmas present," Brady joked. In addition to Whose Line, Brady also hosts the CBS reboot of Let's Make a Deal. He's had a long background in theater, recently starring in Broadway's Kinky Boots. Other credits include Chicago and Rent. And while Brady may only be able to give those closest to him free tickets to Hamilton, there appears to be one person for whom he is making an exception: Aisha Tyler. On Twitter, Brady implied to the Whose Line-host that he'll have tickets waiting for her. "When are you coming?!?" he asked her. "I got you!" (People)
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Is Very Unimpressed by Tom Brady's Impression of Him. Perhaps impressions are best left with comedians. Tom Brady has teamed up with Under Armour to sell performance-enhancing sleepwear (snazzy term for recovery pajamas), so he decided to reach out to "very good friend" Dwayne Johnson for a little help. The Rock never fails to sell plenty of gym paraphernalia and has even created an alarm clock app to help people wake up for exercise, so the partnership made sense. (The Rock's own deal with Under Armour also probably had a thing or two to do with it.) But the New England Patriots quarterback though it best to try to woo The Rock by impersonating his famous line. "Hey, Rock, what kind of sleepwear are you sleeping in?" Brady asks before launching into full Rock mode. "It doesn't matter what kind of sleepwear you're sleeping in! Because I wanted to give you a heads up that Under Armour and I are going to send you some of my new TB12 sleepwear." To say the Baywatch star was unimpressed would be putting it lightly. "Sweet tap dancing baby Jesus. What in the f--k did we just watch?" The Rock says. "Thomas, what was that? You're sitting there on some rocks, which I guess that's supposed to be profound because my name is The Rock, and your legs are open like Kermit the Frog like you're getting ready to sing 'Rainbow Connection' for Christ's sake." The WWE star-turned-actor continued to be appalled. "What are you doing? It's OK. I'm not judging. Who the f--k directed that? A Jets fan? Had to have been a Jets fan. Thomas, did you really think that was a good idea?" Despite the horrible impression, Johnson agreed to try out the new sleep swag (only after correcting Brady's impression) and said it would be quite the change for him because he typically sleeps "in the buff." "The penocaurus has got to roam," The Rock says at the end of the video. (Eonline)
Don't get too excited over the Chris Brown versus Soulja Boy boxing match. It probably won't happen. The much-hyped fight can't be held in Las Vegas, where myriad regulations include mandatory drug testing that the musical performers would not be expected to pass, as both are reportedly big marijuana fans. The two men decided to fight after Soulja Boy made a play for Brown's sometime girlfriend Karrueche Tran. While the grudge match could be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, or in some other foreign land,SportsBettingExperts.com oddsmaker Jim Murphy doubts it will ever come to pass, and the main reason is monetary. "The money team's [Mayweather Promotions] accountants will realize that this is an event that no one -- including their fans -- will pay to watch on PPV, and that it's just a money-losing proposition." Murphy has the odds on the outcome even, but rival betting site Bovada.com has Brown the 5-to-8 favorite, with Soulja Boy at 5-to-4. "Don't be surprised if talk of this fight quietly disappears over the next few weeks," Murphy says. "It's significantly more likely that the principals will record an album or go on tour together than it is they'll ever meet in a boxing ring." (Page Six)
Kendall Jenner Addresses Rumors That She Got Plastic Surgery. Kendall Jenner is opening up about plastic surgery. As you may recall from last month, Kylie Jenner took to Snapchat to share a video after doing Kendall's makeup for a Facebook livestream. In the video, Kendall's pout looked noticeably plumper, causing people to wonder whether she went under the knife like her younger sister. Though Kylie immediately shut down speculation, promising her fans and followers that she practiced her famous "over-lining" the lips strategy on Kendall that she's always done, people still believed the 21-year-old got injections. Thus, Kendall took to her app on Wednesday to deny them once and for all. "When I deleted my Instagram back in November, people were saying, 'Kendall deleted her account to have full facial reconstruction,'" she wrote. "I think they might have been referencing the day Kylie and I did a livestream for our book. We had to hurry, so I let Ky do my face. I never wear lip liner or lipstick unless it's the occasional obvious red -- and when I say never, I mean even when I'm doing a nude lip, it's basically just gloss!" She continued, "Anyway, I left all of the makeup on because we were so rushed and I went out and did my thing. I LOVED my makeup. I never say this, but I just felt so pretty. All of a sudden, photos of us came out with headlines like, 'OMG Kendall got her lips done and got full facial reconstruction -- look at her cheekbones, look at her nose!' I was like, this is CRAZY. I didn't even address it at the time. Because if I address it, people are going to be like 'Oh, so she's defending herself -- she must be guilty.' Kylie saw it all unfold and felt bad, so she went on Snapchat and took the blame." Kendall argued that she's already a model, so going under the knife would not be to her benefit. "It's all so exhausting. As a model, why would I have my face reconstructed? It doesn't even make sense," she said. "It's crazy because sometimes I feel like people just want me to lose." So, she concluded her post with one final thought to remind everyone she's a person, too. "People forget that they're talking about real people who have real feelings and actually live their everyday lives (for the most part) just like everyone else." (Eonline)
Kim Kardashian says the coast is now clear because cops in France have nabbed a bunch of people who allegedly robbed her ... so she's off to Dubai. Kim breezed through LAX with Scott Disick and 4 security guards for the 16 hour flight. As for why she's going ... we're told it's a make-good for a trip she cancelled to promote a makeup tutorial with her longtime beautician, Mario Dedivanovic. The event was initially slated for October 14, 11 days after the robbery, but she was in no condition to go. (TMZ)
Still stocking up on tissues. First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about President Barack Obama's emotional farewell address during The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, January 11. FLOTUS, 52, along with the couple's eldest daughter, Malia Obama, teared up during the speech, which took place at the McCormick Place convention center in Chicago on Tuesday. "It is [getting emotional]. It's nuts. I feel like crying right now. I didn't think that it was going to be that emotional because it's like, 'Yeah, we're ready. Yeah, we're good. It's been eight years. Eight years is enough. We're packing up,'" Michelle explained to host Jimmy Fallon. "But no, it has been surprisingly emotional for all of us in ways that we didn't expect." "[Malia] looked over at me and she says, 'I can't believe I'm going to cry through the whole speech,'" she added of the 18-year-old. "And I said, 'It's OK.'" Fallon, 42, was just as emotional while watching. "I lost it at home," he said, laughing. "I was crying on my wife's shoulder." One person noticeably absent from the event was the Obamas' youngest daughter, Sasha Obama. As previously reported, Sasha, 15, stayed back to study for exams. "She had a final," Michelle said, joking: "And it's like, 'You know the Obamas, girl. Sorry! You have to take your test. You can say goodbye later.'" Michelle delivered her own tearful final remarks on Friday, January 6, at an event honoring the 2017 School Counselor of the Year. On Wednesday, Fallon asked her what part of the event specifically got her choked up. "Talking about kids. Talking about the future. Kids are my heart," Michelle replied. "When I think about the fact that some of them are afraid about what's to come, I really -- what I said, I don't want them to be afraid. I want them to embrace the future and know that the world is getting better. We have bumps in the road, we have ups and downs, but I want our kids to move forward. I don't care where they come from -- with strength and with hope." Michelle also surprised viewers during her Tonight Show drop by. In another segment, she secretly watched people tape goodbye messages to her before revealing that she was there in person. (US Weekly)
File Under: Extremely Rich People Problems! Magic Johnson says he borrowed $850,000 in fancy jewelry for his wife for their big 25th wedding anniversary last year ... only to get completely ripped off by the jeweler. It's all part of a new lawsuit Johnson filed against Gina Amir Atelier ... a Bev Hills jewelry business that Johnson refers to as a "thieves den." Long story short ... Johnson says the store took a $250k deposit so he could use 2 pieces of jewelry -- a gold and platinum ring covered in diamonds and a HUGE platinum necklace with 101 white diamonds. (TMZ)
"Gears of War" took a former football player/wrestler and turned him into "Cole Train"-- a central character in the game -- and then stiffed him royally. Lenwood Hamilton claims he was going about his life last January when his son's friend showed him the video game, and he was flabbergasted ... he says "Cole Train" was simply him. So, Hamilton did what any red-blooded American would do ... sue. According to the docs ... the physical appearances are almost identical, "Cole Train" is the only black character, they both wear derby hats, wrist bands and have a front gold tooth. Hamilton goes on ... he believes they somehow lifted his voice and implanted it in "Cole Train." In fact, Hamilton says he hired a forensic voice examiner to compare his voice to CT, and they're indistinguishable. It gets even weirder ... Hamilton is also suing Lester Speight, aka Terry Tate: Office Linebacker from vintage Reebok commercials, who's credited with the voice-over and portrayal of "Cole Train." Hamilton says Speight used to work with his wrestling company and they talked about creating a video game character. Translation: Speight stole his idea and passed it off to the makers of "Gears of War." Hamilton is suing for sales and profits, and that's a lot. The game's been super successful since 2006. (TMZ)
President Obama had to deal with a small domestic crisis at the White House -- a family friend was bitten by Sunny, the First Family's 4-year-old dog. We're told the incident occurred Monday when the 18-year-old was visiting the White House. Sources connected to the girl tell us she went to pet and kiss Sunny, and the dog bit her on the face. Sunny -- a female Portuguese Water Dog -- left a nasty gash under the girl's eye. We're told the Obamas' family physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson, checked her out and decided she needed stitches. She's gonna be okay, but we're told she'll likely have a small scar ... which upset her. She posted various pics of the injury and her visit to Dr. Jackson on social media. The bite is out of character for the breed, which typically is not aggressive in family situations. The Obamas have 2 Portuguese Water Dogs -- 8-year-old Bo has the title, "First Dog." We reached out to the White House. No comment on the incident. (TMZ)
Music
The Minnesota judge overseeing Prince's estate holds a hearing Thursday on whether to declare his siblings as his heirs, and who should manage the rock superstar's estate going forward. No will has surfaced since Prince died of an accidental painkiller overdose in April. So Prince's sister, Tyka Nelson, and his five half-siblings have asked Carver County District Judge Kevin Eide to declare that no will exists, and to formally name them as heirs. The judge hasn't said when he'll rule. All the siblings want the judge to declare the trust company Comerica as a "personal representative," or executor, of the estate. But they're divided on whether to name anyone as co-executor. Four of the six siblings back longtime Prince lawyer L. Londell McMillan. But Tyka Nelson and Omar Baker object. (Page Six)
The legal fight over rights to stream Prince songs is growing more contentious as Jay Z's Tidal music service insisted to a judge this week it owned those exclusive -- and profitable -- rights. The estate of the late singer has maintained since November that Tidal is wrongly streaming Prince's 65 albums. The issue has gained importance as the Grammy Awards are now just a month away. It is expected that the Feb. 12 event, billed as "music's biggest night," will feature a major tribute to the Purple One. That tribute is expected to spark a new wave of interest in Prince songs -- to both download and stream. And that has raised the temperature on the fight over who will be in a position to profit from that interest. The estate sued Tidal in November, accusing it of distributing Prince's entire catalog, despite having agreed to license only a single album -- "Hit N Run: Phase 1" -- and for only 90 days. Its suit also alleges that none of the Jay Z-affiliated entities have "provided any documentation substantiating the claim" they have rights to exploit any of Prince's copyrighted works other than "Hit N Run." In answering the complaint this week, Tidal's owners, Aspiro and Roc Nation, turned up the heat by challenging even the estate's right to sue them in the first place. Bremer Trust, which manages the Prince estate, "lacks the requisite authority to authorize the instant lawsuit," they said. Meanwhile, reports this week said Prince's estate is nearing distribution deals with non-Tidal streaming operations owned by Apple and Spotify. (Page Six)
Earlier this month Ed Sheeran returned to the spotlight after a one-year hiatus, and gave us what we've all been waiting for-not one, but two brand new singles. 'Shape of You' and 'Castle on the Hill' made history after their release on 6 January, breaking Spotify's 'day one' UK and global steaming record, reaching over 13 million streams combined in the first 24 hours. The title was previously held by One Direction with their 2015 track 'Drag Me Down', which reached 4,759,698 streams. The 25-year-old, who wrote Justin Bieber's hit 'Love Yourself' as well as several songs for the 1D boys, admits that 'Shape of You' was originally written with Rihanna in mind before he decided to keep it for himself. And it looks like there's plenty more where that came from, as he posted what appears to be a track listing for his new album ÷ on Instagram Wednesday. For anyone eagerly anticipating the new album (er, all of us) your Ed Sheeran fix could be on its way sooner than you think, as it's been confirmed he'll be taking part in James Cordon's Carpool Karaoke sometime this year. The. Dream. (British Glamour)
Movies
CHiPs Movie Trailer Released: Dax Shepard & Michael Pena Play Hilariously Awkward Cop Duo. Jon and Ponch are back! Dax Shepard and Michael Pena appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Wednesday while dressed as California Highway Patrol motorcycle cops to present the first trailer for the CHiPs movie remake. They even appeared with Ducati bikes. Shepard directed and wrote the script to the R-rated comedy film, a big screen adaptation of a hit '70s and '80s series. He plays California Highway Patrol motorcycle cop Jon Baker, while Michael Pena portrays his partner Frank 'Ponch' Poncherello, a role made famous by main show star Erik Estrada. "You know what, I'm imagining Erik Estrada at home weeping right now, watching this," host Jimmy Kimmel joked. In the movie, Shepard's character is an FBI agent who goes undercover as a rookie officer who teams up with Ponch to try to weed out crooked cops they are told are working inside their organization. Their first meeting is hilariously awkward, as are most of their interactions. "We're like Jay Z and Beyonce -- we are 'ride or die,'" Shepard's character says. The movie also stars Adam Brody, Jessica McNamee, Vincent D'Onofrio, Justin Chatwin, Maya Rudolph, Shepard's wife Kristen Bell and her Veronica Mars co-stars Ryan Hansen. CHiPs is set for release on March 24. (Eonline)
Michael Keaton says anyone who reads something discriminatory into his Golden Globes garble of "Hidden Fences" is "extraordinarily incorrect." "I mean, almost like calling Al Gore a climate change denier," Keaton told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Keaton said he "made a mistake reading the teleprompter and the cue cards" when he conflated the titles of "Hidden Figures" and "Fences" at the awards ceremony Sunday. Both films have predominantly black casts. Keaton said Wednesday that he is sorry for the error and feels especially bad for the makers of "Hidden Figures" for the flub that diminished the title's recognition at the show, where he introduced supporting actress nominee Octavia Spencer. "The Founder" star said he's a longtime civil rights supporter who taught his son the importance of being socially conscious. (Page Six)
1941 classic, Dumbo, is set to be the next Disney movie to get the live-action treatment. Alice In Wonderland director Tim Burton is lined up to lead the movie, and now Will Smith is in talks for a lead role. According to Deadline, Will has been approached by Disney for the role of the father of the children who befriend the titular circus elephant. And in other exciting casting news, Tom Hanks is in talks for the role of the movie's villain. Tim's version of the film was first slated for production in 2015, and now with encouragement from Disney it's back on track. There's plenty more live-action movies to keep Disney fans happy in the meantime, with Beauty and the Beast out this year and versions of Mulan, Peter Pan, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid also getting off the ground. (British Glamour)
'Preacher' Co-Creator to Write Spy Satire 'Jimmy's Bastards'. Britain's top secret agent comes face to face with his own sexual past in this new comic book series by Garth Ennis. What happens when the amorous exploits of Britain's greatest secret agent come back to haunt him? A new series from Preacher co-creator Garth Ennis and indie publisher AfterShock Comics will reveal all later this year as Jimmy Regent comes face to face with Jimmy's Bastards. The plot of the new series, Ennis's second with the publisher after last year's Dreaming Eagles, sees the "devastatingly handsome" -- AfterShock's words -- British secret agent faced with a new organization made up of 200 agents in peak physical condition with one aim in mind: killing Jimmy Regent. And, to make matters more complicated, each of the 200 agents, men and women alike, look almost as if they might be related to Jimmy himself. The new series will be one of many planned to debut this year, following up on AfterShock's successful 2016, which included new projects from Brian Azzarello, Mark Waid and Marguerite Bennett, as well as Ennis. "During our first year as a publisher, AfterShock worked with over 100 talented creators to help bring to life incredible stories from some of the best in the business," AfterShock editor-in-chief Mike Marts said in a statement. "Thanks to overwhelmingly positive support from fans and retailers, AfterShock will continue to expand its content in 2017 through partnerships with both industry favorites and up and comers." More details about Jimmy's Bastards, including a series artist and release date, will be announced soon, according to the publisher. (Hollywood Reporter)
TV
American Horror Story Renewed For 2 More Seasons: Bring on Your Seasons 8 and 9 Theories. American Horror Story will never leave us. FX has ordered two additional seasons of the anthology series -- that's in addition to the already announced seventh season from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. More Sarah Paulson for everyone! Let the speculation begin on what those two installments will be about. "American Horror Story launched the modern limited series revolution and -- as evidenced by the most recent installment Roanoke -- it remains as vital today as when Murder House stunned audiences six years ago," John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions, said in a statement. "Each new chapter is a cultural event, beloved for every new twist in imagery, style, cast and plot. We are thrilled that Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and the entire creative team will continue to deliver the groundbreaking, celebrated American Horror Story for years to come." So far the American Horror Story franchise has won 15 Emmys. The last installment, American Horror Story: Roanoke, had a combined audience of 10.9 million total viewers. "When Ryan and Brad came to us seven years ago with the idea for a horror series structured as an anthology, with a group of actors returning year after year, in different roles, settings and time periods, we were in awe of the sheer originality and ambition of their vision," Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Fox Television Group chairmen and CEOs, said in a joint statement. "They've since delivered six fantastic installments which have rightfully attracted millions of viewers, critical raves and dozens of awards. Ryan and Brad are to be congratulated on this remarkable multi-year pickup and we are grateful to John Landgraf and our partners at FX for their extraordinary support." Could one of these upcoming installments be the hyped AHS: Coven and AHS: Murder House crossover Murphy discussed? "We do know what we're going to do," Murphy told the crowd at EW's PopFest. "It's not going to be next season, but we are going to do a season that's a crossover between Murder House and Coven together, which is very bizarre." Over the years, AHS has starred Paulson, Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Lily Rabe, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy, Dylan McDermott, Taissa Farmiga, Lady Gaga, Emma Roberts and many other famous faces. The series has been connecting past seasons, most recently with Paulson playing her AHS: Asylum character during AHS: Roanoke. She previously played her AHS: Murder House character on AHS: Hotel as well. American Horror Story season seven will premiere in 2017. (Eonline)
Law and Order: SVU's Benson-Tucker Twist Leaves the Fandom Divided. Law & Order: SVU said goodbye to #Tuckson, the coupling of Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Tucker (Robert John Burke), leaving fans just as divided as they were when the coupling took shape in season 17. Tucker told Benson he was thinking about retiring, which seemed to rattle the SVU boss. A few episodes earlier she said things were complicated between the two. "You know, maybe we're in different places right now. I did get a little scared about the retirement. And Ed, you know, this job, this is who I am," she said to him. "I tried, Ed. And I know you tried too, but if we've both been trying this hard... I have this little boy who needs me, who needs his mother and I have to give him all the attention and all the time and all the love that I have," she said. "He has to be your priority right now," Tucker said. "I get that, I do." The ending to the relationship that polarized hardcore fans, well, continued to polarize fans. "It's insulting that a woman isn't allowed to have a kid, a job and a man," @Shimmering79 tweeted. "Disheartening that in 2017, Olivia Benson can't have it all. #Tuckson was good for her," @bonosaurus shared. "Hate them ending," @amask555 tweeted. "A woman in 2017 can be successful at her job, be a kick ass mom AND have a significant other in their lives." Others could see the writing on the wall. "I liked the idea of them -- of her being with someone, but I get it," @The_Jessicak said. "Been watching from day 1 I'm disappointed, it didn't have to be major storyline I'm sad for Olivia & she deserves 2 b happy," @chiapparelli22 tweeted. "Gave it a chance, but there was never any chemistry. [Mariska Hargitay] & [Robert John Burke] are good actors but it didn't work. Always felt forced & awkward," @KayLea81 said. "And then there were the others who never got on that #Tuckson 'ship. "Our long national nightmare is over," @rainekasey said. "It was about time. Never should have happened in the first place. Abomination. Destroyed Olivia Benson's character," @jamster4170 shared. "The characters and the actors deserved better than that bs storyline," @lynn770 tweeted. What do you think about the breakup? Law & Order: SVU airs Wednesdays, 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)
Lisa Edelstein Promises a Satisfying Journey and End for Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce. Lisa Edelstein plays the impeccably dressed Abby McCarthy on Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, and sometimes the two styles blend together. "I actually stole this from Abby's closet," Edelstein told E! News at Bloomingdale's before a panel with designer Ramy Brook and costume designer Cynthia Summers. "Abby and I do share a love for jumpsuits." Edelstein praised designer Ramy Brook's necklines because they show off one of her assets: her shoulders. "I have smaller shoulders, so it lets me celebrate them, pretend I have power shoulders, which I don't," Edelstein said. Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, which also stars Beau Garrett, Necar Zadegan, Paul Adelstein, Allan Ubach and Retta, is back for season three on Wednesday, Jan. 11 and there's some job security for Edelstein: the show has already been renewed for seasons four and five. "It is really interesting -- it's never happened to me before," she said. "Of course the sad news is we know it's ending, it ends at the end of season five, but the great news is for fans and for the storytellers, we know what story we're telling. It's a very specific arc and journey for our characters to go on. It's really made it a wonderful experience for all of us... I think it will be very satisfying to watch." See the latest part in the Girlfriends' Guide journey when the new season premieres Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 10 p.m. on Bravo. (Eonline)
Prison Break Revival Trailer Focuses on the Mystery of Michael Scofield: How Is He Still Alive? Michael Scofield is officially back from the dead...somehow. The premiere of Fox's Prison Break revival is just a couple of months away, and if you're still wondering how the hell Wentworth Miller's character is supposed to be alive after being killed in an explosion in the original series, that's pretty much the point. The cast and creators addressed reporters during Fox's TV Critics' Association press tour day and explained that the mystery of Michael still being alive -- and back in prison -- is the central story of the new season. "Michael doesn't just come out of the gates the noble hero," creator Paul T. Cheuring explained. "The question is, who is this guy? Has he been compromised? Is he even Michael? was he the Michael that we knew all along? And that's one of the central things that runs through the course of the season, and that's fun when your protagonist may not even be a good guy." The brand new trailer gives a bit of a hint of what we're in for this season -- which Cheuring describes as "just constant thriller, cliffhanger, revelation, one after another" -- as the whole gang learns that Michael is still alive and gets back together to break him out of prison once again. As for how Michael survived, that's one of the big questions that Cheuring had to go "back about 2500 years of literature" to answer, so we'll just have to wait on that. In the romance department, the long-awaited reunion between Michael and his wife, Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies), is probably not going to go all that well. For starters, Sara's married to Mark Feuerstein's character, Jacob. "We got married, and she had no idea that he was anywhere, because he's presumed dead, and then suddenly he's alive, and it's revealed that he's out there, somewhere, maybe, and tension ensues," Feuerstein said. According to Cheuring, Mark won't be entirely a foil for Michael and for everyone who wants to see Michael and Sara back together. In fact, he'll help his wife with the plot to break her ex-husband out of prison. "I don't think it's just a love triangle," Cheuring teased. And Sara's new husband isn't the only thing standing in the way of a romantic reunion. "There's a lot of water under the bridge," Callies explained. "I think from her perspective, the question is if you have been alive, why haven't you raised our son? Where have you been? Because I almost died from grief... Those are a lot of questions that may make it unlikely to be a reunion where two people run at each other from opposite sides of a field full of butterflies and sort of fall into each other's arms." Miller compared the season itself to the actors getting to know each other again, seven years after the series ended. "Who are these characters now? When they see each other, will they even recognize each other?" he said. "This is the meat of the story." Prison Break returns Tuesday, April 4 at 9 p.m. on Fox. (Eonline)
Efforts to Shop 'Good Girls Revolt' Fail, Creator Reveals in Heartfelt Note. The drama was axed in December by Amazon after just one season. Good Girls Revolt won't be making a comeback. The '60s drama, which was surprisingly canceled by Amazon shortly after the debut of its first season last fall, was unable to find a new home, exec producer Dana Calvo revealed Wednesday on Instagram. "Good Girls Revolt won't be airing on another network. We made what felt like a 10-hour play, and I will miss the world and the characters that our cast brought to life. Mostly, I will miss hearing from all of you who said it had an impact. Sending love and thanks today for the privilege of being able to tell stories that bring us closer and make us stronger," she wrote. Debuting in October, Good Girls Revolt was set in 1969 and centered on a group of young female researchers who work at News of the Week. It was inspired by the landmark sexual discrimination cases chronicled in Lynn Povich's book of the same name. Genevieve Angelson, Anna Camp and Erin Darke starred in the series, which included real figures such as Eleanor Holmes Norton (Joy Bryant), Nora Ephron (Grace Gummer) and Wick McFadden (Jim Belushi). Calvo (Made in Jersey) created the drama and exec produced alongside Lynda Obst, Darlene Hunt (The Big C), Don Kurt (Justified) and Jeff Okin (Dark Skies). The series earned mostly positive reviews (it has a 65 on Metacritic) and four-and-a-half stars on Amazon. It was a hit for Amazon, according to streaming monitor Symphony Advanced Media. "It's really the only Amazon program that we've seen to date that has a really strong female 18-to-49 following," Symphony senior vp John Sollecito said in December. Despite that, Amazon pulled the plug in December, and efforts to the shop the series to another by Sony Pictures Television -- whose TriStar Television banner was behind the 10-episode series -- quickly began. Potential suitors included ABC, Bravo, Freeform, Hulu and USA. Calvo blasted Amazon in the days after the cancellation -- "They run some people out," she said of the company -- and Amazon Studios head Roy Price. "What we hadn't factored in is that Roy Price just doesn't care for the show," Calvo told THR. "He's representative of the Amazon culture in that he's just impenetrable." Insiders suggested at the time that Price largely was uninvolved with the series -- he didn't attend the premiere or provide episode notes -- and didn't believe Good Girls Revolt would be an awards contender. The cancellation also came as a shock because it was revealed shortly before Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award nominations were announced. Good Girls Revolt marked a rare cancellation for Amazon, joining Shawn Ryan's Mad Dogs in the one-and-done club. Of Amazon's 2016 class of new series, only One Mississippi has received a season-two pickup. (Hollywood Reporter)
Amazon Channels Rolls Out First Curated Subscription, Anime Strike. The $4.99-a-month service will feature titles including 'The Great Passage' and 'Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga.' A little more than a year after launching its a la carte marketplace for streaming services like HBO Now and NBCUniversal's Seeso, Amazon has created its first curated subscription. Anime Strike features Amazon-selected programming all in the adult anime category. For $5 a month, anime fans will be able to watch more than 1,000 movies and TV episodes, including titles such as The Great Passage. The service will also offer some programming on the same day that episodes air in Japan, including Scum's Wish and Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga. The e-commerce began offering Prime members standalone subscriptions via its Amazon Channels in December 2015 and currently has a lineup of about 100 channels that includes over-the-top services HBO, Starz, Showtime as well as online-only services including Seeso, DramaFever and Tastemade. Michael Paull, vp of digital video at Amazon, tells The Hollywood Reporter that since the launch, Amazon Prime members have subscribed to "millions of subscriptions" since the service launched. "They're really loving the wide variety of programming we're offering." But the program was missing a channel devoted to adult anime. "There wasn't an offering that's been made available in other platforms that would meet our customers' needs," Paull adds. Crunchyroll, an anime service owned by Otter Media, is not currently part of Amazon Channels. To create Anime Strike, Amazon executives leveraged its existing licensing agreements for Amazon Video and also acquired new content to create a library that Paull says will refresh on a weekly basis. He says that eventually the service could also feature original content produced via the Amazon Studios arm, which last spring announced a slate of 12 originals including anime for Amazon Japan. Amazon plans to launch additional branded streaming services in the coming months. (Hollywood Reporter)
Khloe Kardashian Eats A Fish Eye Instead Of Answering A Question About O.J. Simpson's Murder Case During Spill Your Guts Or Fill Your Guts! Spill 'em, Khloe! Though we love some Carpool Karaoke, one of our other favorite late night games with James Corden has to be Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts thanks to all the controversial questions! Luckily, on Wednesday night, Khloe Kardashian stopped by to play the DISGUSTING game and the results were pretty similar to when her younger sis Kendall Jenner played! Though Kendall ended up drinking bird saliva to avoid a Taylor Swift squad question, KoKo had to down a fish eye because she didn't want to answer a JUICY q about O.J. Simpson's murder case. Hmmm... Similar to Jenner though, the Strong Looks Better Naked author had no problem throwing some slight shade Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna's way! LOLz! Khloe talks being in love with Tristan: Don't forget to catch The Late Late Show weeknights at 12:35 a.m. on CBS! (Perez Hilton)
One of TMZ's most senior staffers has left the celebrity news organization. Page Six has learned that Mike Walters -- who served as the Web site's news director and the executive producer of its online show "TMZ Live," as well as being a fixture on the "TMZ on TV" show -- has made his exit after 13 years with the company. With his trademark -- T-shirts, gelled hair and goatee beard, Walters -- described as founder Harvey Levin's "No. 2" -- became one of the most recognizable faces on the TV show. We're told his sister, Liz Walters, who ran its court reporting operation, also left in recent weeks. TMZ sources said Walters is considering establishing his own operation. TMZ said it won't comment on staffing matters. (Page Six)
Prince Harry "Truly in Love" With Meghan Markle as Friends Predict Engagement Later This Year. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are proving you can be truly in love and truly private. While the famous couple continues their romance around the world, fans are still unable to see numerous pictures of the royal family member and the Suits star together. But before you get discouraged, this relationship remains the real deal. "Harry is truly in love," a source shared with E! News. "They're very serious." In addition, our insider says that those close to Harry and Meghan wouldn't be surprised if there will be an engagement announcement sometime this year." Followers of the couple may not be surprised to hear the news. After all, these two have experienced more than a few romantic memories in private. Earlier this week, E! News confirmed that the duo kicked off 2017 by traveling to Norway for a private vacation. In addition to seeing the Northern Lights, reports claimed that the pair enjoyed whale-watching and sunsets in the snow. A source later told E! News that the couple also spent the New Year together in London before traveling to their next destination. "Harry is more serious [about Meghan] then he ever has been about a woman before," a source previously shared with E! News. "It wouldn't surprise me if he's already thinking about engagement just because that's where his head goes." As to when we may see this duo photographed together again, speculation is brewing about an upcoming wedding in March. A source tells E! News that Prince Harry is slated to attend his best friend Tom Inskip's ceremony later this spring in Jamaica. As to whether or not Meghan will join the fun, it's too early to say. Royal watchers will be watching. (Eonline)
Alleged new lovebirds Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara have holed up, Page Six has exclusively learned, at the celebrity spot We Care Spa in Desert Hot Springs, Calif. A favorite of Gwen Stefani, Heidi Klum and Gisele Bündchen, the place is known for its juice cleanses and colonics. Page Six reported Wednesday that Phoenix and Mara play Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene in an upcoming movie and fell for each other while filming in Italy. A source said of the actors: "They found love on the set" of "Mary Magdalene," and that they were "holed up in the desert" over Golden Globes weekend. A different source told us of their current romantic getaway: "They are there continuing to 'find love,' but also some health, as he is doing his annual pilgrimage to the spa." The source added: "Joaquin and his lady love are down for some R&R, sipping juices and a few colonics .?.?. good times!" Mara's rep did not comment on our previous story about the pair's relationship, while Phoenix's rep explained that the co-stars are just close friends. Neither got back to us about the spa getaway. We hear that the pair's not staying on-site at the spa but rather nearby. Mara's been in a six-year relationship with Charlie McDowell -- the director son of British actor Malcolm McDowell. (Page Six)
Orange Is the New Black's Lea DeLaria Splits From Girlfriend Chelsea Fairless. Orange Is the New Black star Lea DeLaria has just announced that she and her longtime girlfriend Chelsea Fairless have ended their engagement and relationship. DeLaria posted a funny photo on Instagram of her with Chelsea and Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor and wrote, "Apparently this was an eerily prophetic choice of engagement photo as our relationship has since gone the way of David and Liza, with one small exception: our split is amicable. Please exclude us from the tragic and basic celebrity breakup narrative. We were happy together for four years and will remain in each other's lives. In fact, we look forward to finding new ways to torture each other. We would like to thank our incredible friends and families for their love and support ? xoxo Lea &@female_trouble." Back in February 2015, DeLaria (who plays Big Boo on the hit Netflix series) revealed that she had popped the question to Fairless. "We met through Orange. Her dear friend plays Leanne on the show. She introduced us and we've been together ever since," DeLaria told E! News exclusively at the time her engagement news made headlines. "I proposed to her. Everyone saw how emotional I was... I was so filled with love. I turned to her at the Netflix party [after the 2015 SAG Awards] and asked her to marry me. We announced it to all of our friends there." And now, it appears that the two have decided to part ways and remain friends. Here's to a happy 2017 for both DeLaria and Fairless. (Eonline)
Billie Lourd returned to Instagram on Wednesday, January 11, to pay tribute to her late mother, Carrie Fisher, who died just two weeks ago. "'If my life weren't funny then it would just be true and this is unacceptable,'" the Scream Queens star wrote, quoting her mom in the caption for a sweet throwback pic with the Star Wars actress. "Finding the funny might take a while," Lourd, 24, continued, "but I learned from the best and her voice will forever be in my head and in my heart." Fisher died on December 27 at the age of 60, days after suffering a massive heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles; her mother, screen legend Debbie Reynolds, died the following day after she had a stroke at her son Todd Fisher's home in Beverly Hills. She was 84. The Singin' in the Rain star was laid to rest with some of her daughter's ashes at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in L.A. on January 6, a day after Fisher's life was celebrated by her A-list friends at the Postcards From the Edge writer's Beverly Hills home. Lourd, who is Fisher's only child, broke her silence on January 2 after their sudden deaths, taking to Instagram to thank fans for their well wishes in an emotional post. "Receiving all of your prayers and kind words over the past week has given me strength during a time I thought strength could not exist," she captioned a photo of herself as a young girl with her mom and grandmother. "There are no words to express how much I will miss my Abadaba and my one and only Momby. Your love and support means the world to me." (US Weekly)
Brad Paisley Imposter Asking Fans for Money. Watch out for faux Brad Paisleys! The country music star warned his fans on Wednesday to be skeptical of imposter accounts asking for money. "Come on people. Don't fall for this crap. Don't send money to anybody claiming to be me. Or anyone else either," he wrote on Twitter, responding to a fan who asked if he had really messaged her seeking cash. "Look out for an account that looks like BP's," another fan wrote, "I was contacted by. Didn't fall for it!" Another commented, "they are all over the place guys, please block them, a artist would never ask a fan for that." For the record, in 2011 Forbes reported that the 44-year-old singer made $40 million. He probably isn't struggling too much. (PageSix)
Kim Kardashian wants justice handed down hard against the people who robbed her, but we've learned her participation will go down thousands of miles from Paris. Turns out, Kim won't have to travel to France to testify against the people who apparently will be charged with the multi-million dollar jewelry heist. Under French law, crime victims don't have to confront the alleged perpetrators in court. The way the system works ... the judge conducts interviews outside the courtroom. What's more ... we're told judges will sometimes travel long distances to interview crime victims, and the lawyers we've spoken to in France tell us Kim's case fits the bill for a judge to travel to the U.S. and have a chitchat with her. Under French law, the alleged criminals don't have the right to cross-examine her, so everything can be done in private ... without the alleged perpetrators or their lawyers looking on. (TMZ)
Zsa Zsa Gabor's former p.r. rep Edward Lozzi claims her husband, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, is holding her ashes "hostage" in order to get back at Lozzi and Gabor's celebrity pals for boycotting the funeral Anhalt planned. "The ashes are now with Frederic. We were going to have a private memorial for her friends like Larry King, George Hamilton and Carol Channing," Lozzi told us. "We've been checking every day with [Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery], and as of [Wednesday], she's not there. She's supposed to be buried with her sister Eva [and daughter] Francesca." Anhalt has said Gabor's ashes will be interred in Budapest, Hungary, with her father. Lozzi says, "What's he going to do, FedEx them? .?.?. He hasn't left the country since the '80s." Anhalt did not take our call, but his assistant laughed at the thought of him holding Gabor's ashes hostage. Westwood did not comment. We saw the grieving hubby circulating at a Golden Globes after-party. (Page Six)
Soulja Boy's House Burglarized Amid Feud With Chris Brown. Soulja Boy's home recently became the target of a thief. The rapper's Hollywood Hills house was burglarized Tuesday morning, a Los Angeles police detective confirmed to E! News. Currently, there are no suspects. The mystery thief made off with $10,000 in cash and $12,000 in jewelry, according to TMZ. Soulja Boy was not in the house at the time of the crime, but whoever made their way into the home broke down the door to do so. According to TMZ's report, the property is equipped with surveillance cameras and one allegedly got a shot of the thief in action. This isn't the first time the Grammy nominee has been the victim of a break-in. In 2008, several men got into the house and threatened the rapper and two friends with guns while they were working on new music. Meanwhile, the crime falls amid an ongoing feud between the star and Chris Brown. The fight ignited after Brown allegedly threatened to fight Soulja Boy for liking a picture of the "Zero" singer's ex, Karrueche Tran, on Instagram. "Chris brown just called me and said he wanna fight me because I liked @karrueche picture on Instagram this n---a a bitch," Soulja Boy tweeted. The two shot back at each other continuously on social media, resulting in a request from Brown to physically meet in the boxing ring. As the exchanges continue to roll in, Mike Tyson, 50 Cent and Floyd Mayweather have also gotten involved. Tyson vowed to train Brown and Mayweather seems to have Soulja Boy's back. Meanwhile, 50 Cent placed a bet and seems to be playing coordinator. (Eonline)
The first suspect in Kim Kardashian's robbery case has been officially charged ... and the guy's got a few years behind him. French authorities pressed charges against a 63-year-old man Thursday who was arrested in connection to the robbery who's only been ID'd as Yunice A. He's reportedly facing charges of armed robbery in an organized gang, kidnapping and criminal association. Cops have also requested he stay locked up in their custody for the time being. This is the first of 17 men arrested in connection to the crime who's been formally charged. (TMZ)
THE OTHER STUFF . . .
When Mahershala Ali Auditioned for Game of Thrones it Didn't Go Very Well. Oh, what could have been... Mahershala Ali, who was just up for a Golden Globe for his work in the critically-acclaimed Moonlight, once auditioned for Game of Thrones. Since he's not on Game of Thrones, you can kind of tell how that went. "I think my audition guaranteed that I wasn't almost on Game of Thrones," Ali told Jimmy Kimmel when the host asked what happened. "That was one of the worst auditions of my life." Ali audition for the part of the "merchant who gets locked in a safe in season three or something like that," which seems to be Xaro Xhoan Daxos. "I'd gone in for this casting director before, and I felt like I had two other wonky auditions with her, but I was really prepared this time around," he said. "Totally off-book, had all my lines memorized. Had this whole thing worked out with this chair... had my stuff all worked out... " But then he went into the HBO offices and was met with two stools, where he proceeded to sit and act a little stiff. The casting director told him to loosen up, all because there was no back to his chair. "Now you know, you got to bring a chair with you next time," the Jimmy Kimmel Live host said. However, he went on to be quite a force on TV. Ali was nominated for an Emmy for his recurring work as Remy Danton on Netflix's House of Cards and joined the Marvel universe in Luke Cage as Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes. On the big screen, Ali is getting buzz for his work as Juan in Moonlight and stole hearts in Hidden Figures. (Eonline)
Paris Jackson ''Incredibly Offended'' by Joseph Fiennes' Michael Jackson Casting, Says It Makes Her ''Want to Vomit." The Jackson family isn't done reacting to the first photos of Joseph Fiennes playing Michael Jackson in the made-for-television film Urban Myths. Paris Jackson, the late legend's daughter, took to Twitter to share her disgust over the controversial casting, writing, "I'm so incredibly offended by it, as I'm sure plenty of people are as well, and it honestly makes me want to vomit." The tweet comes on the heels of Michael's nephew Taj Jackson weighing in on the matter on social media as well. "Unfortunately, this is what my family has to deal with. No words could express the blatant disrespect." Fiennes is portraying the Grammy-winning icon in the television film on Sky Arts, which is centered around the road trip that Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando took with Jackson. The famous trio drove from New York City to Ohio after the September 11th attacks. And it's not just the Jackson family who disapproves of the casting, fans have created a petition to boycott the film. "It's easy to see why the story would make a compelling film -- but it's harder to understand why the actor best known for his role in Shakespeare in Love was the first choice to play one of the world's most iconic black musicians," the petition states. The petition is currently nearing its target goal of 25,000 signatures. (Eonline)
Lindita Halimi grew up during the war in Kosovo, so eating was an act of survival. "We never knew when the next time was we were going to eat," Halimi, 27, tells PEOPLE in this week's Half Their Size feature. "It was the worst feeling in the world, not being able to eat when you wanted to. So, when the war ended, I ate uncontrollably to make up for all the times that I couldn't. And it took a wrong turn." The singer began eating entire pizzas, family-size bags of candy and almost entire jars of Nutella by herself. "Everything that's fattening, I ate it excessively," she says. Halimi, who is 5'4?, and goes by just her first name professionally, reached a high weight of 250 lbs. "I gained the weight when I was between 17 and 20," she says. "Those three to four years of my life were miserable. Honestly, I was okay with my weight, but it turned into health issues. I couldn't breathe easily, I'd catch colds, flus, pneumonia. [And I was] bullied. Every time I would show up to class, people would be like, 'Oh look, the big elephant is here.' " After a woman on the train offered up her seat to an 18-year-old Halimi, thinking she was pregnant, she decided that she had to make a change. But when it came to actually losing weight, she didn't know where to start. She Googled weight loss tips and found healthy cooking tutorials on YouTube. "I'd look for recipes with salmon -- salmon and eggs are the main things I eat," says Halimi. Lindita had already lost a significant amount of weight when she moved to the United States in 2013 and auditioned for American Idol, where she made it to the top 25. "Idol inspired me to keep working towards being a singer," says Halimi, who currently lives in Atlanta with her husband of three years. "My main goal is to get a Grammy. I'm not stopping until I get there!" Her next stop? Representing her home country of Albania in Eurovision in May. Until then, Halimi -- who has lost a total of 130 lbs. and lifts weights daily -- hopes to open her own gyms here in the U.S. "Now I work out for me," she says. "I'm not trying to be the cutest girl in the gym. I'm just trying to feel good in my body and in my skin." (People)
Wayne Brady may be in joining the cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda's über sold-out musical Hamilton, but that doesn't mean his friends can expect free tickets. The 44-year-old actor -- who begins performances as Aaron Burr (sir) in the Chicago cast of the historical hip-hopera on Tuesday -- recorded told TMZ that he's not the one to come to for handouts. "I don't get no damn comps," he said in the clip. "Specifically, let me repeat that now: I don't get no damn comps. Either you have to be related to me by blood or we're sleeping together, and then you will get a free ticket." Brady, an Emmy winner for his work on the improv hit Whose Line Is It Anyway?, is scheduled for a three-month run in Chicago's Hamilton -- which opened September 27 at the PrivateBank Theatre. His last performance is set through April 9. "I have been ready for this role since I saw Leslie [Odom Jr.] do it when it first opened," he told TMZ. "I've wanted to do this so, so badly." His 13-year-old daughter, Maile Masako Brady, has also wanted her father to do Hamilton so, so badly. A Hamilton-superfan, Brady recounted how she jumped out of bed screaming "Oh God -- we're going to Chicago! We're going to Chicago!" when she learned the news. "That was our Christmas present," Brady joked. In addition to Whose Line, Brady also hosts the CBS reboot of Let's Make a Deal. He's had a long background in theater, recently starring in Broadway's Kinky Boots. Other credits include Chicago and Rent. And while Brady may only be able to give those closest to him free tickets to Hamilton, there appears to be one person for whom he is making an exception: Aisha Tyler. On Twitter, Brady implied to the Whose Line-host that he'll have tickets waiting for her. "When are you coming?!?" he asked her. "I got you!" (People)
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Is Very Unimpressed by Tom Brady's Impression of Him. Perhaps impressions are best left with comedians. Tom Brady has teamed up with Under Armour to sell performance-enhancing sleepwear (snazzy term for recovery pajamas), so he decided to reach out to "very good friend" Dwayne Johnson for a little help. The Rock never fails to sell plenty of gym paraphernalia and has even created an alarm clock app to help people wake up for exercise, so the partnership made sense. (The Rock's own deal with Under Armour also probably had a thing or two to do with it.) But the New England Patriots quarterback though it best to try to woo The Rock by impersonating his famous line. "Hey, Rock, what kind of sleepwear are you sleeping in?" Brady asks before launching into full Rock mode. "It doesn't matter what kind of sleepwear you're sleeping in! Because I wanted to give you a heads up that Under Armour and I are going to send you some of my new TB12 sleepwear." To say the Baywatch star was unimpressed would be putting it lightly. "Sweet tap dancing baby Jesus. What in the f--k did we just watch?" The Rock says. "Thomas, what was that? You're sitting there on some rocks, which I guess that's supposed to be profound because my name is The Rock, and your legs are open like Kermit the Frog like you're getting ready to sing 'Rainbow Connection' for Christ's sake." The WWE star-turned-actor continued to be appalled. "What are you doing? It's OK. I'm not judging. Who the f--k directed that? A Jets fan? Had to have been a Jets fan. Thomas, did you really think that was a good idea?" Despite the horrible impression, Johnson agreed to try out the new sleep swag (only after correcting Brady's impression) and said it would be quite the change for him because he typically sleeps "in the buff." "The penocaurus has got to roam," The Rock says at the end of the video. (Eonline)
Don't get too excited over the Chris Brown versus Soulja Boy boxing match. It probably won't happen. The much-hyped fight can't be held in Las Vegas, where myriad regulations include mandatory drug testing that the musical performers would not be expected to pass, as both are reportedly big marijuana fans. The two men decided to fight after Soulja Boy made a play for Brown's sometime girlfriend Karrueche Tran. While the grudge match could be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, or in some other foreign land,SportsBettingExperts.com oddsmaker Jim Murphy doubts it will ever come to pass, and the main reason is monetary. "The money team's [Mayweather Promotions] accountants will realize that this is an event that no one -- including their fans -- will pay to watch on PPV, and that it's just a money-losing proposition." Murphy has the odds on the outcome even, but rival betting site Bovada.com has Brown the 5-to-8 favorite, with Soulja Boy at 5-to-4. "Don't be surprised if talk of this fight quietly disappears over the next few weeks," Murphy says. "It's significantly more likely that the principals will record an album or go on tour together than it is they'll ever meet in a boxing ring." (Page Six)
Kendall Jenner Addresses Rumors That She Got Plastic Surgery. Kendall Jenner is opening up about plastic surgery. As you may recall from last month, Kylie Jenner took to Snapchat to share a video after doing Kendall's makeup for a Facebook livestream. In the video, Kendall's pout looked noticeably plumper, causing people to wonder whether she went under the knife like her younger sister. Though Kylie immediately shut down speculation, promising her fans and followers that she practiced her famous "over-lining" the lips strategy on Kendall that she's always done, people still believed the 21-year-old got injections. Thus, Kendall took to her app on Wednesday to deny them once and for all. "When I deleted my Instagram back in November, people were saying, 'Kendall deleted her account to have full facial reconstruction,'" she wrote. "I think they might have been referencing the day Kylie and I did a livestream for our book. We had to hurry, so I let Ky do my face. I never wear lip liner or lipstick unless it's the occasional obvious red -- and when I say never, I mean even when I'm doing a nude lip, it's basically just gloss!" She continued, "Anyway, I left all of the makeup on because we were so rushed and I went out and did my thing. I LOVED my makeup. I never say this, but I just felt so pretty. All of a sudden, photos of us came out with headlines like, 'OMG Kendall got her lips done and got full facial reconstruction -- look at her cheekbones, look at her nose!' I was like, this is CRAZY. I didn't even address it at the time. Because if I address it, people are going to be like 'Oh, so she's defending herself -- she must be guilty.' Kylie saw it all unfold and felt bad, so she went on Snapchat and took the blame." Kendall argued that she's already a model, so going under the knife would not be to her benefit. "It's all so exhausting. As a model, why would I have my face reconstructed? It doesn't even make sense," she said. "It's crazy because sometimes I feel like people just want me to lose." So, she concluded her post with one final thought to remind everyone she's a person, too. "People forget that they're talking about real people who have real feelings and actually live their everyday lives (for the most part) just like everyone else." (Eonline)
Kim Kardashian says the coast is now clear because cops in France have nabbed a bunch of people who allegedly robbed her ... so she's off to Dubai. Kim breezed through LAX with Scott Disick and 4 security guards for the 16 hour flight. As for why she's going ... we're told it's a make-good for a trip she cancelled to promote a makeup tutorial with her longtime beautician, Mario Dedivanovic. The event was initially slated for October 14, 11 days after the robbery, but she was in no condition to go. (TMZ)
Still stocking up on tissues. First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about President Barack Obama's emotional farewell address during The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, January 11. FLOTUS, 52, along with the couple's eldest daughter, Malia Obama, teared up during the speech, which took place at the McCormick Place convention center in Chicago on Tuesday. "It is [getting emotional]. It's nuts. I feel like crying right now. I didn't think that it was going to be that emotional because it's like, 'Yeah, we're ready. Yeah, we're good. It's been eight years. Eight years is enough. We're packing up,'" Michelle explained to host Jimmy Fallon. "But no, it has been surprisingly emotional for all of us in ways that we didn't expect." "[Malia] looked over at me and she says, 'I can't believe I'm going to cry through the whole speech,'" she added of the 18-year-old. "And I said, 'It's OK.'" Fallon, 42, was just as emotional while watching. "I lost it at home," he said, laughing. "I was crying on my wife's shoulder." One person noticeably absent from the event was the Obamas' youngest daughter, Sasha Obama. As previously reported, Sasha, 15, stayed back to study for exams. "She had a final," Michelle said, joking: "And it's like, 'You know the Obamas, girl. Sorry! You have to take your test. You can say goodbye later.'" Michelle delivered her own tearful final remarks on Friday, January 6, at an event honoring the 2017 School Counselor of the Year. On Wednesday, Fallon asked her what part of the event specifically got her choked up. "Talking about kids. Talking about the future. Kids are my heart," Michelle replied. "When I think about the fact that some of them are afraid about what's to come, I really -- what I said, I don't want them to be afraid. I want them to embrace the future and know that the world is getting better. We have bumps in the road, we have ups and downs, but I want our kids to move forward. I don't care where they come from -- with strength and with hope." Michelle also surprised viewers during her Tonight Show drop by. In another segment, she secretly watched people tape goodbye messages to her before revealing that she was there in person. (US Weekly)
File Under: Extremely Rich People Problems! Magic Johnson says he borrowed $850,000 in fancy jewelry for his wife for their big 25th wedding anniversary last year ... only to get completely ripped off by the jeweler. It's all part of a new lawsuit Johnson filed against Gina Amir Atelier ... a Bev Hills jewelry business that Johnson refers to as a "thieves den." Long story short ... Johnson says the store took a $250k deposit so he could use 2 pieces of jewelry -- a gold and platinum ring covered in diamonds and a HUGE platinum necklace with 101 white diamonds. (TMZ)
"Gears of War" took a former football player/wrestler and turned him into "Cole Train"-- a central character in the game -- and then stiffed him royally. Lenwood Hamilton claims he was going about his life last January when his son's friend showed him the video game, and he was flabbergasted ... he says "Cole Train" was simply him. So, Hamilton did what any red-blooded American would do ... sue. According to the docs ... the physical appearances are almost identical, "Cole Train" is the only black character, they both wear derby hats, wrist bands and have a front gold tooth. Hamilton goes on ... he believes they somehow lifted his voice and implanted it in "Cole Train." In fact, Hamilton says he hired a forensic voice examiner to compare his voice to CT, and they're indistinguishable. It gets even weirder ... Hamilton is also suing Lester Speight, aka Terry Tate: Office Linebacker from vintage Reebok commercials, who's credited with the voice-over and portrayal of "Cole Train." Hamilton says Speight used to work with his wrestling company and they talked about creating a video game character. Translation: Speight stole his idea and passed it off to the makers of "Gears of War." Hamilton is suing for sales and profits, and that's a lot. The game's been super successful since 2006. (TMZ)
President Obama had to deal with a small domestic crisis at the White House -- a family friend was bitten by Sunny, the First Family's 4-year-old dog. We're told the incident occurred Monday when the 18-year-old was visiting the White House. Sources connected to the girl tell us she went to pet and kiss Sunny, and the dog bit her on the face. Sunny -- a female Portuguese Water Dog -- left a nasty gash under the girl's eye. We're told the Obamas' family physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson, checked her out and decided she needed stitches. She's gonna be okay, but we're told she'll likely have a small scar ... which upset her. She posted various pics of the injury and her visit to Dr. Jackson on social media. The bite is out of character for the breed, which typically is not aggressive in family situations. The Obamas have 2 Portuguese Water Dogs -- 8-year-old Bo has the title, "First Dog." We reached out to the White House. No comment on the incident. (TMZ)
Music
The Minnesota judge overseeing Prince's estate holds a hearing Thursday on whether to declare his siblings as his heirs, and who should manage the rock superstar's estate going forward. No will has surfaced since Prince died of an accidental painkiller overdose in April. So Prince's sister, Tyka Nelson, and his five half-siblings have asked Carver County District Judge Kevin Eide to declare that no will exists, and to formally name them as heirs. The judge hasn't said when he'll rule. All the siblings want the judge to declare the trust company Comerica as a "personal representative," or executor, of the estate. But they're divided on whether to name anyone as co-executor. Four of the six siblings back longtime Prince lawyer L. Londell McMillan. But Tyka Nelson and Omar Baker object. (Page Six)
The legal fight over rights to stream Prince songs is growing more contentious as Jay Z's Tidal music service insisted to a judge this week it owned those exclusive -- and profitable -- rights. The estate of the late singer has maintained since November that Tidal is wrongly streaming Prince's 65 albums. The issue has gained importance as the Grammy Awards are now just a month away. It is expected that the Feb. 12 event, billed as "music's biggest night," will feature a major tribute to the Purple One. That tribute is expected to spark a new wave of interest in Prince songs -- to both download and stream. And that has raised the temperature on the fight over who will be in a position to profit from that interest. The estate sued Tidal in November, accusing it of distributing Prince's entire catalog, despite having agreed to license only a single album -- "Hit N Run: Phase 1" -- and for only 90 days. Its suit also alleges that none of the Jay Z-affiliated entities have "provided any documentation substantiating the claim" they have rights to exploit any of Prince's copyrighted works other than "Hit N Run." In answering the complaint this week, Tidal's owners, Aspiro and Roc Nation, turned up the heat by challenging even the estate's right to sue them in the first place. Bremer Trust, which manages the Prince estate, "lacks the requisite authority to authorize the instant lawsuit," they said. Meanwhile, reports this week said Prince's estate is nearing distribution deals with non-Tidal streaming operations owned by Apple and Spotify. (Page Six)
Earlier this month Ed Sheeran returned to the spotlight after a one-year hiatus, and gave us what we've all been waiting for-not one, but two brand new singles. 'Shape of You' and 'Castle on the Hill' made history after their release on 6 January, breaking Spotify's 'day one' UK and global steaming record, reaching over 13 million streams combined in the first 24 hours. The title was previously held by One Direction with their 2015 track 'Drag Me Down', which reached 4,759,698 streams. The 25-year-old, who wrote Justin Bieber's hit 'Love Yourself' as well as several songs for the 1D boys, admits that 'Shape of You' was originally written with Rihanna in mind before he decided to keep it for himself. And it looks like there's plenty more where that came from, as he posted what appears to be a track listing for his new album ÷ on Instagram Wednesday. For anyone eagerly anticipating the new album (er, all of us) your Ed Sheeran fix could be on its way sooner than you think, as it's been confirmed he'll be taking part in James Cordon's Carpool Karaoke sometime this year. The. Dream. (British Glamour)
Movies
CHiPs Movie Trailer Released: Dax Shepard & Michael Pena Play Hilariously Awkward Cop Duo. Jon and Ponch are back! Dax Shepard and Michael Pena appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Wednesday while dressed as California Highway Patrol motorcycle cops to present the first trailer for the CHiPs movie remake. They even appeared with Ducati bikes. Shepard directed and wrote the script to the R-rated comedy film, a big screen adaptation of a hit '70s and '80s series. He plays California Highway Patrol motorcycle cop Jon Baker, while Michael Pena portrays his partner Frank 'Ponch' Poncherello, a role made famous by main show star Erik Estrada. "You know what, I'm imagining Erik Estrada at home weeping right now, watching this," host Jimmy Kimmel joked. In the movie, Shepard's character is an FBI agent who goes undercover as a rookie officer who teams up with Ponch to try to weed out crooked cops they are told are working inside their organization. Their first meeting is hilariously awkward, as are most of their interactions. "We're like Jay Z and Beyonce -- we are 'ride or die,'" Shepard's character says. The movie also stars Adam Brody, Jessica McNamee, Vincent D'Onofrio, Justin Chatwin, Maya Rudolph, Shepard's wife Kristen Bell and her Veronica Mars co-stars Ryan Hansen. CHiPs is set for release on March 24. (Eonline)
Michael Keaton says anyone who reads something discriminatory into his Golden Globes garble of "Hidden Fences" is "extraordinarily incorrect." "I mean, almost like calling Al Gore a climate change denier," Keaton told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Keaton said he "made a mistake reading the teleprompter and the cue cards" when he conflated the titles of "Hidden Figures" and "Fences" at the awards ceremony Sunday. Both films have predominantly black casts. Keaton said Wednesday that he is sorry for the error and feels especially bad for the makers of "Hidden Figures" for the flub that diminished the title's recognition at the show, where he introduced supporting actress nominee Octavia Spencer. "The Founder" star said he's a longtime civil rights supporter who taught his son the importance of being socially conscious. (Page Six)
1941 classic, Dumbo, is set to be the next Disney movie to get the live-action treatment. Alice In Wonderland director Tim Burton is lined up to lead the movie, and now Will Smith is in talks for a lead role. According to Deadline, Will has been approached by Disney for the role of the father of the children who befriend the titular circus elephant. And in other exciting casting news, Tom Hanks is in talks for the role of the movie's villain. Tim's version of the film was first slated for production in 2015, and now with encouragement from Disney it's back on track. There's plenty more live-action movies to keep Disney fans happy in the meantime, with Beauty and the Beast out this year and versions of Mulan, Peter Pan, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid also getting off the ground. (British Glamour)
'Preacher' Co-Creator to Write Spy Satire 'Jimmy's Bastards'. Britain's top secret agent comes face to face with his own sexual past in this new comic book series by Garth Ennis. What happens when the amorous exploits of Britain's greatest secret agent come back to haunt him? A new series from Preacher co-creator Garth Ennis and indie publisher AfterShock Comics will reveal all later this year as Jimmy Regent comes face to face with Jimmy's Bastards. The plot of the new series, Ennis's second with the publisher after last year's Dreaming Eagles, sees the "devastatingly handsome" -- AfterShock's words -- British secret agent faced with a new organization made up of 200 agents in peak physical condition with one aim in mind: killing Jimmy Regent. And, to make matters more complicated, each of the 200 agents, men and women alike, look almost as if they might be related to Jimmy himself. The new series will be one of many planned to debut this year, following up on AfterShock's successful 2016, which included new projects from Brian Azzarello, Mark Waid and Marguerite Bennett, as well as Ennis. "During our first year as a publisher, AfterShock worked with over 100 talented creators to help bring to life incredible stories from some of the best in the business," AfterShock editor-in-chief Mike Marts said in a statement. "Thanks to overwhelmingly positive support from fans and retailers, AfterShock will continue to expand its content in 2017 through partnerships with both industry favorites and up and comers." More details about Jimmy's Bastards, including a series artist and release date, will be announced soon, according to the publisher. (Hollywood Reporter)
TV
American Horror Story Renewed For 2 More Seasons: Bring on Your Seasons 8 and 9 Theories. American Horror Story will never leave us. FX has ordered two additional seasons of the anthology series -- that's in addition to the already announced seventh season from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. More Sarah Paulson for everyone! Let the speculation begin on what those two installments will be about. "American Horror Story launched the modern limited series revolution and -- as evidenced by the most recent installment Roanoke -- it remains as vital today as when Murder House stunned audiences six years ago," John Landgraf, CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions, said in a statement. "Each new chapter is a cultural event, beloved for every new twist in imagery, style, cast and plot. We are thrilled that Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and the entire creative team will continue to deliver the groundbreaking, celebrated American Horror Story for years to come." So far the American Horror Story franchise has won 15 Emmys. The last installment, American Horror Story: Roanoke, had a combined audience of 10.9 million total viewers. "When Ryan and Brad came to us seven years ago with the idea for a horror series structured as an anthology, with a group of actors returning year after year, in different roles, settings and time periods, we were in awe of the sheer originality and ambition of their vision," Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Fox Television Group chairmen and CEOs, said in a joint statement. "They've since delivered six fantastic installments which have rightfully attracted millions of viewers, critical raves and dozens of awards. Ryan and Brad are to be congratulated on this remarkable multi-year pickup and we are grateful to John Landgraf and our partners at FX for their extraordinary support." Could one of these upcoming installments be the hyped AHS: Coven and AHS: Murder House crossover Murphy discussed? "We do know what we're going to do," Murphy told the crowd at EW's PopFest. "It's not going to be next season, but we are going to do a season that's a crossover between Murder House and Coven together, which is very bizarre." Over the years, AHS has starred Paulson, Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Lily Rabe, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy, Dylan McDermott, Taissa Farmiga, Lady Gaga, Emma Roberts and many other famous faces. The series has been connecting past seasons, most recently with Paulson playing her AHS: Asylum character during AHS: Roanoke. She previously played her AHS: Murder House character on AHS: Hotel as well. American Horror Story season seven will premiere in 2017. (Eonline)
Law and Order: SVU's Benson-Tucker Twist Leaves the Fandom Divided. Law & Order: SVU said goodbye to #Tuckson, the coupling of Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Tucker (Robert John Burke), leaving fans just as divided as they were when the coupling took shape in season 17. Tucker told Benson he was thinking about retiring, which seemed to rattle the SVU boss. A few episodes earlier she said things were complicated between the two. "You know, maybe we're in different places right now. I did get a little scared about the retirement. And Ed, you know, this job, this is who I am," she said to him. "I tried, Ed. And I know you tried too, but if we've both been trying this hard... I have this little boy who needs me, who needs his mother and I have to give him all the attention and all the time and all the love that I have," she said. "He has to be your priority right now," Tucker said. "I get that, I do." The ending to the relationship that polarized hardcore fans, well, continued to polarize fans. "It's insulting that a woman isn't allowed to have a kid, a job and a man," @Shimmering79 tweeted. "Disheartening that in 2017, Olivia Benson can't have it all. #Tuckson was good for her," @bonosaurus shared. "Hate them ending," @amask555 tweeted. "A woman in 2017 can be successful at her job, be a kick ass mom AND have a significant other in their lives." Others could see the writing on the wall. "I liked the idea of them -- of her being with someone, but I get it," @The_Jessicak said. "Been watching from day 1 I'm disappointed, it didn't have to be major storyline I'm sad for Olivia & she deserves 2 b happy," @chiapparelli22 tweeted. "Gave it a chance, but there was never any chemistry. [Mariska Hargitay] & [Robert John Burke] are good actors but it didn't work. Always felt forced & awkward," @KayLea81 said. "And then there were the others who never got on that #Tuckson 'ship. "Our long national nightmare is over," @rainekasey said. "It was about time. Never should have happened in the first place. Abomination. Destroyed Olivia Benson's character," @jamster4170 shared. "The characters and the actors deserved better than that bs storyline," @lynn770 tweeted. What do you think about the breakup? Law & Order: SVU airs Wednesdays, 9 p.m. on NBC. (Eonline)
Lisa Edelstein Promises a Satisfying Journey and End for Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce. Lisa Edelstein plays the impeccably dressed Abby McCarthy on Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, and sometimes the two styles blend together. "I actually stole this from Abby's closet," Edelstein told E! News at Bloomingdale's before a panel with designer Ramy Brook and costume designer Cynthia Summers. "Abby and I do share a love for jumpsuits." Edelstein praised designer Ramy Brook's necklines because they show off one of her assets: her shoulders. "I have smaller shoulders, so it lets me celebrate them, pretend I have power shoulders, which I don't," Edelstein said. Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, which also stars Beau Garrett, Necar Zadegan, Paul Adelstein, Allan Ubach and Retta, is back for season three on Wednesday, Jan. 11 and there's some job security for Edelstein: the show has already been renewed for seasons four and five. "It is really interesting -- it's never happened to me before," she said. "Of course the sad news is we know it's ending, it ends at the end of season five, but the great news is for fans and for the storytellers, we know what story we're telling. It's a very specific arc and journey for our characters to go on. It's really made it a wonderful experience for all of us... I think it will be very satisfying to watch." See the latest part in the Girlfriends' Guide journey when the new season premieres Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 10 p.m. on Bravo. (Eonline)
Prison Break Revival Trailer Focuses on the Mystery of Michael Scofield: How Is He Still Alive? Michael Scofield is officially back from the dead...somehow. The premiere of Fox's Prison Break revival is just a couple of months away, and if you're still wondering how the hell Wentworth Miller's character is supposed to be alive after being killed in an explosion in the original series, that's pretty much the point. The cast and creators addressed reporters during Fox's TV Critics' Association press tour day and explained that the mystery of Michael still being alive -- and back in prison -- is the central story of the new season. "Michael doesn't just come out of the gates the noble hero," creator Paul T. Cheuring explained. "The question is, who is this guy? Has he been compromised? Is he even Michael? was he the Michael that we knew all along? And that's one of the central things that runs through the course of the season, and that's fun when your protagonist may not even be a good guy." The brand new trailer gives a bit of a hint of what we're in for this season -- which Cheuring describes as "just constant thriller, cliffhanger, revelation, one after another" -- as the whole gang learns that Michael is still alive and gets back together to break him out of prison once again. As for how Michael survived, that's one of the big questions that Cheuring had to go "back about 2500 years of literature" to answer, so we'll just have to wait on that. In the romance department, the long-awaited reunion between Michael and his wife, Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies), is probably not going to go all that well. For starters, Sara's married to Mark Feuerstein's character, Jacob. "We got married, and she had no idea that he was anywhere, because he's presumed dead, and then suddenly he's alive, and it's revealed that he's out there, somewhere, maybe, and tension ensues," Feuerstein said. According to Cheuring, Mark won't be entirely a foil for Michael and for everyone who wants to see Michael and Sara back together. In fact, he'll help his wife with the plot to break her ex-husband out of prison. "I don't think it's just a love triangle," Cheuring teased. And Sara's new husband isn't the only thing standing in the way of a romantic reunion. "There's a lot of water under the bridge," Callies explained. "I think from her perspective, the question is if you have been alive, why haven't you raised our son? Where have you been? Because I almost died from grief... Those are a lot of questions that may make it unlikely to be a reunion where two people run at each other from opposite sides of a field full of butterflies and sort of fall into each other's arms." Miller compared the season itself to the actors getting to know each other again, seven years after the series ended. "Who are these characters now? When they see each other, will they even recognize each other?" he said. "This is the meat of the story." Prison Break returns Tuesday, April 4 at 9 p.m. on Fox. (Eonline)
Efforts to Shop 'Good Girls Revolt' Fail, Creator Reveals in Heartfelt Note. The drama was axed in December by Amazon after just one season. Good Girls Revolt won't be making a comeback. The '60s drama, which was surprisingly canceled by Amazon shortly after the debut of its first season last fall, was unable to find a new home, exec producer Dana Calvo revealed Wednesday on Instagram. "Good Girls Revolt won't be airing on another network. We made what felt like a 10-hour play, and I will miss the world and the characters that our cast brought to life. Mostly, I will miss hearing from all of you who said it had an impact. Sending love and thanks today for the privilege of being able to tell stories that bring us closer and make us stronger," she wrote. Debuting in October, Good Girls Revolt was set in 1969 and centered on a group of young female researchers who work at News of the Week. It was inspired by the landmark sexual discrimination cases chronicled in Lynn Povich's book of the same name. Genevieve Angelson, Anna Camp and Erin Darke starred in the series, which included real figures such as Eleanor Holmes Norton (Joy Bryant), Nora Ephron (Grace Gummer) and Wick McFadden (Jim Belushi). Calvo (Made in Jersey) created the drama and exec produced alongside Lynda Obst, Darlene Hunt (The Big C), Don Kurt (Justified) and Jeff Okin (Dark Skies). The series earned mostly positive reviews (it has a 65 on Metacritic) and four-and-a-half stars on Amazon. It was a hit for Amazon, according to streaming monitor Symphony Advanced Media. "It's really the only Amazon program that we've seen to date that has a really strong female 18-to-49 following," Symphony senior vp John Sollecito said in December. Despite that, Amazon pulled the plug in December, and efforts to the shop the series to another by Sony Pictures Television -- whose TriStar Television banner was behind the 10-episode series -- quickly began. Potential suitors included ABC, Bravo, Freeform, Hulu and USA. Calvo blasted Amazon in the days after the cancellation -- "They run some people out," she said of the company -- and Amazon Studios head Roy Price. "What we hadn't factored in is that Roy Price just doesn't care for the show," Calvo told THR. "He's representative of the Amazon culture in that he's just impenetrable." Insiders suggested at the time that Price largely was uninvolved with the series -- he didn't attend the premiere or provide episode notes -- and didn't believe Good Girls Revolt would be an awards contender. The cancellation also came as a shock because it was revealed shortly before Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award nominations were announced. Good Girls Revolt marked a rare cancellation for Amazon, joining Shawn Ryan's Mad Dogs in the one-and-done club. Of Amazon's 2016 class of new series, only One Mississippi has received a season-two pickup. (Hollywood Reporter)
Amazon Channels Rolls Out First Curated Subscription, Anime Strike. The $4.99-a-month service will feature titles including 'The Great Passage' and 'Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga.' A little more than a year after launching its a la carte marketplace for streaming services like HBO Now and NBCUniversal's Seeso, Amazon has created its first curated subscription. Anime Strike features Amazon-selected programming all in the adult anime category. For $5 a month, anime fans will be able to watch more than 1,000 movies and TV episodes, including titles such as The Great Passage. The service will also offer some programming on the same day that episodes air in Japan, including Scum's Wish and Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga. The e-commerce began offering Prime members standalone subscriptions via its Amazon Channels in December 2015 and currently has a lineup of about 100 channels that includes over-the-top services HBO, Starz, Showtime as well as online-only services including Seeso, DramaFever and Tastemade. Michael Paull, vp of digital video at Amazon, tells The Hollywood Reporter that since the launch, Amazon Prime members have subscribed to "millions of subscriptions" since the service launched. "They're really loving the wide variety of programming we're offering." But the program was missing a channel devoted to adult anime. "There wasn't an offering that's been made available in other platforms that would meet our customers' needs," Paull adds. Crunchyroll, an anime service owned by Otter Media, is not currently part of Amazon Channels. To create Anime Strike, Amazon executives leveraged its existing licensing agreements for Amazon Video and also acquired new content to create a library that Paull says will refresh on a weekly basis. He says that eventually the service could also feature original content produced via the Amazon Studios arm, which last spring announced a slate of 12 originals including anime for Amazon Japan. Amazon plans to launch additional branded streaming services in the coming months. (Hollywood Reporter)
Khloe Kardashian Eats A Fish Eye Instead Of Answering A Question About O.J. Simpson's Murder Case During Spill Your Guts Or Fill Your Guts! Spill 'em, Khloe! Though we love some Carpool Karaoke, one of our other favorite late night games with James Corden has to be Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts thanks to all the controversial questions! Luckily, on Wednesday night, Khloe Kardashian stopped by to play the DISGUSTING game and the results were pretty similar to when her younger sis Kendall Jenner played! Though Kendall ended up drinking bird saliva to avoid a Taylor Swift squad question, KoKo had to down a fish eye because she didn't want to answer a JUICY q about O.J. Simpson's murder case. Hmmm... Similar to Jenner though, the Strong Looks Better Naked author had no problem throwing some slight shade Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna's way! LOLz! Khloe talks being in love with Tristan: Don't forget to catch The Late Late Show weeknights at 12:35 a.m. on CBS! (Perez Hilton)
One of TMZ's most senior staffers has left the celebrity news organization. Page Six has learned that Mike Walters -- who served as the Web site's news director and the executive producer of its online show "TMZ Live," as well as being a fixture on the "TMZ on TV" show -- has made his exit after 13 years with the company. With his trademark -- T-shirts, gelled hair and goatee beard, Walters -- described as founder Harvey Levin's "No. 2" -- became one of the most recognizable faces on the TV show. We're told his sister, Liz Walters, who ran its court reporting operation, also left in recent weeks. TMZ sources said Walters is considering establishing his own operation. TMZ said it won't comment on staffing matters. (Page Six)
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