Go Daddy $12.99 SSL Sale!

Archive for January, 2009

Britney Spears Serves Adnan Ghalib?

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

 

 

Adnan Ghalib was served with court papers early Saturday morning at his Burbank house with orders to stay away from former fling Britney Spears. The paparazzo was half undressed when he was slapped with the papers and he wasn’t alone, Adnan Ghalib was back living with his estranged wife in Burbank. Adnan Ghalib and Azlynn Berry filed for divorce last year after four years of marriage after Adnan Ghalib’s tryst with Britney Spears, pop tart became public.  Adnan Ghalib appeared to be reunited according to a source. The Circus star’s attorney filed for restraining orders against Ghalib, Sam Lutfi and attorney Jon Eardly on Friday claiming they were attempting to undermine her conservatorship.

A hearing is set on the restraining orders for Feb. 23.

Ghalib did not respond to an E! News request for comment.

Madonna with Alex Rodriguez?

Friday, January 30th, 2009

 

 Madonna by diamonds_in_the_soles_of_her_shoes.

 

Madonna may have been briefl distracted by a dewy, doe eyed Brazilian model, but she appears to have turned her attentions back to Alex Rodriguez. At least according to the New York Post, which says the self described pals spent last weekend together at the Hamptons estate of Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld. This is the second time the sinewy pop icon and the New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez star have been seen at the funnyman’s sprawling digs, previously rendezvousing there on Oct. 21. The alleged get together will likely come as welcome news to Guy Ritchie’s dad, who’s making it clear he doesn’t want his former daughter in law back in the family circle. “The worst thing would be if they reconciled,” an ornery John Ritchie tells In Touch. “Guy is better off. Guy Ritchie’s in the States with the children at the moment.” Earlier this week, the filmmaker, who’s been shooting “Sherlock Holmes” in New York, was snapped skiing with sons Rocco, 8, and David, 3, in the Poconos. “We hope she does have a lot of boyfriends,” adds Papa Ritchie of Madonna, “because it means she won’t ever get back together with Guy Richie!”

Neil Diamond on biggest World Tour

Thursday, January 29th, 2009

 

Neil Diamond Cardiff  by Watt_Dabney.

It was November, and Diamond had just come off the first two legs of his biggest world tour yet with 64 shows in 50 cities and nine countries already under his belt. In a moment, he would step in front of a camera to begin a round of 70 or so interviews  beamed via satellite to local television stations to talk up the remaining 20 dates, where he’d thrill diehard fans with such nuggets as “Cherry Cherry,” “Song Sung Blue” and “Sweet Caroline.” Ours was the only in person interview Neil Diamond or someone in his camp had agreed to do. The singer songwriter (who turned 68 on January 24) stepped into the studio, a man ready for his close up. Neil Diamonnd had slipped a black button down shirt over his T-shirt, and suddenly he looked like the same Neil Diamond who next week will be feted by The Recording Academy as its “2009 MusiCares Person of the Year,” joining an elite club that includes Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Sting, Bono and Quincy Jones. Neil Diamond working on a follow up to last year’s CD, the Rick Rubin produced “Home Before Dark” which earned Neil Diamond first ever No. 1 debut on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. That album chart came after 2005’s “12 Songs,” also produced by Rubin, which reinvigorated Neil Diamonds recording career. As for live performance, Neil Diamond rarely had problems filling arenas but he remembers when he did.

$5 a day and Super Bowl?

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

 

The Super Bowl's Coming - Are You HD-Ready?

Logothetis, star of “Amazing Adventures of a Nobody” on the Fox Reality and National Geographic Adventure networks, is promoting his show by trying to travel from Atlanta to Tampa, Fla., site of the Super Bowl, in five days on $5 a day. He started Tuesday. Producers stripped him of his wallet, credit cards and mobile phone and left him in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. Logothetis found a taxi driver willing to take him to Tampa for the Super Bowl, but the cabbie drove off after finding out that his rider only had $5 a day for a ride that would probably cost a few hundred. Logothetis struck up a conversation on a park bench with Sommer Williams, a laid off interior decorator now working in a hotel. She bought him a pizza lunch and drove him to her family’s house in Macon, Ga., nearly 100 miles away. The family took him out for dinner at a Mexican restaurant and invited him to spend the night on a bed in their basement. He used his $5 a day to kick in for gas. His series is one of several action adventure shows popular on cable, such as “Deadliest Catch” or “Man vs. Wild,” that appeal to a sense of wanderlust among people who usually don’t go further than their sofa. Logothetis was a broker in London until he read “The Motorcycle Diaries” and hit upon the idea of documenting low cost travel. His first two seasons were about traveling in England and the United States. The season that premiered Sunday on Fox Reality has him trying to get from Paris to Moscow on 5 euros a day. “I have to rely entirely on the kindness of strangers,” said Logothetis on Wednesday, speaking from the Williams’ family phone in Macon. It’s not easy: More than a dozen people said they wouldn’t help him before he met Williams. Williams’ brother and his friends volunteered to drive Logothetis to Valdosta, Ga., on Wednesday on the next leg of his trip. Assuming he can make it to Tampa for the Super Bowl, he’ll face his biggest challenge in trying to get into the game. Ticket prices for the Super Bowl range from $500 to $1,000 a seat, can he get it for $5 a day?

Does he really think he has a chance?

“That’s a very good question,” Logothetis said. “I just have faith that it will work out. If I don’t (get in), it’s the journey that’s the most important thing, the people I meet along the way.”

Paul McCartney makes Love Connection?

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

 

Rumors with wings have been flying all day since British tabloids the Sunday Mirror and Sunday Telegraph published reports that Paul McCartney, make that Sir Paul McCartney, is poised to marry gal pal Nancy Shevell, whom he began dating a little over a year ago in the midst of his messy $50 million divorce from Heather Mills. We don’t know exactly when, or IF, the rumored love connection nuptials may take place.  Given Macca’s rep as a romantic remember, it was a cozy Route 66 drive across the U.S. last summer that sealed his relationship with Nancy could a Valentine’s Day ceremony be possible? But there is one thing we do know: While Groucho Marx once famously noted that “love flies out the door when money flies innuendo,” unlike the case with Heather Mills, no one’s going to be able to hurl any gold digger dirt at the late fortysomething Nancy Shevell. While the ex-Beatle may be the musical one in this couple, the very well heeled Shevell’s life story can perhaps be best summed up with her own theme song: “Keep On Truckin.’” She has spent the last 25 years working for her father’s New Jersey based New England Motor Freight Company, which back in the 1980s was investigated  by the federal government for possible ties to organized crime. Additionally, Shevell has since 2001 been a member of the board of New York State’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a position she was appointed to by former New York Governor George Pataki, who also just happened to appoint Shevell’s former and newly divorced husband, Republican lawyer Robert Blakeman, to a high transportation related position with the state. Another thing we do know is that if Shevell needs a wedding dress, she’ll need look no further than her future stepdaughter, Stella McCartney. The second oldest child of Paul and the late Linda McCartney’s three children, Stella is a successful fashion designer, and has made high-profile wedding gowns for a number of celebs, including Madonna and, most recently, Scarlett Johannson. Too soon to tell if Scarlett’s marriage will hold, of course. But whatever the case, here’s wishing McCartney the very best love connection if he weds again. And if he comes strolling down the aisle humming “(Money) Can’t Buy Me Love,” well, you heard it here first.

“Thriller” going Broardway?

Monday, January 26th, 2009

 

Michael Jackson - Thriller

Michael Jackson’s 1982 “Thriller” album is the world’s biggest selling album and the theater production will recreate the tale of the 14 minute horror film spoof based on the title song. In the video, a young couple are on a date when the boy played by Michael Jackson in the video becomes a werewolf. “Thriller the musical will be the exclusive Michael Jackson authorized version of ‘Thriller’ and Michael Jackson will participate in every aspect of the creative process,” said the Nederland Organization, which has acquired the rights to the musical. “Thriller The Musical” will include songs from “Thriller” and Michael Jackson’s 1979 album “Off The Wall.” The “Thriller” video, featuring dancing zombies and horror film star Vincent Price, was first aired in 1983 and became a staple of MTV. It was directed by filmmaker John Landis, who said it cost $500,000 about 10 times the cost of the standard music video of the time. Michael Jackson’s spokesman, Dr. Tohme Tohme, said in the Nederland Organization statement: “The Nederlanders and Michael Jackson represent live theater and musical excellence, so let the music begin.” Michael Jackson, 50, is one of the best selling recording artists of all time and began his musical career with his siblings in the Motown group the Jackson 5 before starting a solo career. But the singer has been dogged since the 1990s by scandal and revelations about his eccentric lifestyle. He was tried and acquitted of child sex abuse charges in 2005. Jackson also has been plagued with financial troubles in the past few years and narrowly averted a foreclosure sale of his Neverland Ranch in May. In November, he handed over the title of Neverland to a company made up of himself and the firm that holds the $24 million loan on the property.

Travel companies offering steep cut on rates?

Sunday, January 25th, 2009
Disney - A Look at the Hollywood Tower Hotel Down Sunset BLVD in HDR by Express Monorail (°O°Joe).
When the economy goes into the tank, people stay at home. But for those still willing to see what’s out there, there are stupendous deals to be had. Hotels, resorts and cruise lines are offering rock bottom rates and doing everything they can to fill rooms, including teaming up with airlines to offer jaw dropping package deals. And savvy consumers can reap the benefits. A case in point: This reporter recently booked a Waldorf Astoria suite in the Palm Springs area through Priceline.com for about $130 after taxes in the middle of a holiday weekend, no less. Although we didn’t know where we’d end up, the 900 square foot “Spa Villa” where stayed is listed for $679 a night next weekend. The Walt Disney Co. is offering a seven night stay at its Walt Disney World resorts, including seven days of park tickets, for the price of four nights and four days of tickets. And it’s throwing in a $200 gift card that can be spent on food and merchandise. According to one travel agency Web site’s spokeswoman, travel deals haven’t been better since the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Here are some questions and answers about what kind of deals are out there and how to snag them.
 
Q: Why are Travel companies offering such cut rates now?
 
A: Around the world, occupancy and room rates are down as business travel has fallen and vacationers are staying at home because of the recession. According to Smith Travel Research, occupancy in North American hotels was down 10.3 percent in November from a year ago, to 52.3 percent. The average daily rate was down 3.3 percent, to $101.84, while the revenue per available room was down 13.3 percent, to $53.28.  
In other words, hotels are about half full these days. And if you are a paying customer, management is willing to cut you a deal.
 
Q: Why are a hotel’s official, posted rates often so much higher than what you can find through a travel agent or travel Web site?
 
A: Hotels are averse to cutting their posted rates, because some people are willing to pay that price and those people help the bottom line. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, hotels slashed rates and suffered for years afterward, according to Smith Travel Research spokesman Jeff Higley. Now they are more likely to throw in freebies to keep customers happy. ”Rather than lowering their rates, they try to put packages together to add value to the rate,” Higley says. So, if you can’t score a rate cut, Higley says, look for free valet parking, free Internet access or free breakfast  hotels may be willing to throw these freebies in.
 
Q: Back to the bottom line: How do I snag a cheap rate?
 
A: Some Web sites are offering extreme discounts on hotel rooms. Priceline.com is now offering hotel rooms in New York at three star establishments for $99 and in Washington, D.C., for $59. The catch is that users have to submit their price and credit card information before knowing the exact hotel they will stay at. ”Occupancies are under pressure and prices are generally coming down,” Priceline.com Inc. Chief Executive Jeffrey Boyd says.

James Taylor you’ve got a friend

Saturday, January 24th, 2009

 

NY Taxi Cab

James Taylor said he will give a California woman a brand new music player loaded with his songs to replace the one she said she had to give up to a taxi driver when her credit card was declined after a trip to the airport last month. Natalie Lenhart, 20, said officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport made her give the $140 iPod nano to the driver as payment for the $49 ride from Manhattan on Dec. 8. The driver said he’d return her iPod for the fare. Lenhart’s red iPod was loaded with oldies, including songs by the folk singer. James Taylor has written classics such as “You’ve Got a Friend” and “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You).” James Taylor said he might upgrade Lenhart’s device to an iPhone. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the agency responsible for police at the airport, said it is investigating.

$20 Million Extortion John Travolta?

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

 

John Travolta

John Travolta and Kelly Preston are reportedly at the center of an extortionists plot involving their 16 year old son Jett, who died of a seizure disorder on Jan. 2 while the family was on vacation in the Bahamas. According to TMZ.com, the purported plan concerns the circumstances of Jett’s death, although details are few, other than there’s apparently been a extortionists demand of $20 million. TMZ also believes there’s no truth to a London Daily Mail report that claims the alleged scheme is over a cell phone photo supposedly taken when Jett was being rushed by ambulance to the hospital (the paper said that in exchange for “millions of dollars,” the alleged extortionists wouldn’t sell the image to the highest bidder). Local police are investigating, with law enforcement sources telling TMZ that the inquiry should be wrapped up “very shortly.” “Regrettably, in a time of such terrible grief there are often a few individuals who attempt to make false claims in hopes of making millions of dollars,” Travolta’s attorneys, Michael Ossi and Howard Butler, said in a statement. “We will never let that happen.” A source close to Ossi tells the Mail that the lawyers met with the suspected plotters last weekend in the Bahamas before getting the cops involved. Information about Jett’s final moments has already surfaced, with an indiscreet EMT revealing in an interview  how John and Kelly rode in the ambulance and the actor held his son’s hand, telling him, “Come on, Jett.” The EMT also said that, despite his grief, Travolta remained characteristically gracious, thanking him for his help and telling him, “Good job.” “Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered,” John and Kelly said in a statement shortly after Jett’s passing. “We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time we had with him for the rest of our lives.” The Travoltas, who are also parents to 8 year old Ella Bleu, held a private memorial service for their son on Jan. 8 at their Ocala, Fla., estate, where they reportedly remain in seclusion.

George Clooney on ER

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

George Clooney

 

George Clooney will be shooting scenes this week for an upcoming episode of the hit medical series, which is in its 15th and final season on NBC. The network NBC recently ordered up another three episodes of its stalwart Thursday night drama, raising hopes that nabbing George Clooney for a guest spot was one of the reasons for the extension. Aw, George Clooney. Is there any humanitarian cause he won’t support? The Oscar winner last appeared on ER for an uncredited minute in 2000, a year after taking off to make movies fulltime, to help tie up the storyline for Julianna Marguilies’ departing character, Nurse Carol Hathaway, who had twin daughters with George Clooney’s Dr. Doug Ross. Whether or not Clooney would pop up one last time has been up in the air for months, despite Noah Wyle’s past assurance that his former costar would return, “schedule permitting.” The Michael Clayton star’s publicist didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. An ER rep would not confirm other reports that George Clooney would be shooting his scenes Thursday and Friday.  ER’s series finale airs April 2 on NBC.