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Tom Cruise holds baby seminars
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 15 (IANS) Actor Tom Cruise is holding seminars to teach his pregnant fiancée Katie Holmes as well as friends, family and staff how to prepare for their baby's birth. 

The actor told the US edition of GQ magazine, "We have been doing seminars so that everybody in the family understands what Kate's going through and for Kate to understand it. We have also been studying what happens after the birth and how to take care of the baby" 

The "Mission Impossible" star claims "everybody" who comes in contact with Holmes is educated on the impending birth, contactmusic.com reported.
 

Eminem's friends fear he is suicidal
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 15 (IANS) Close friends of Eminem are worried the hip-hop star is considering suicide after suffering a series of tragic events. 

The rapper announced earlier this month that he was divorcing wife Kim just 81 days after the couple married for a second time. The "Lose It" star was also left stunned by the murder of his best friend, rapper Proof. 

According to contactmusic.com, a friend of the rapper said: "I am not sure that (Eminem) can handle all this. I am worried that he may try to hurt himself." 

He also checked himself into a substance abuse clinic last year to recover from a sleeping pill addiction. 

Singer Babyface sues Anita Baker
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 15 (IANS) Grammy-winning singer-producer Kenneth Edmonds, popularly known as Babyface, is suing singer Anita Baker, claiming she owes him more than $250,000.

According to Babyface, Baker allegedly failed to pay him for a song he produced for her, contactmusic.com reported. The lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims Baker refused to pay him producer's fees and royalties for the track "Like you used to do". 

Babyface claims he also co-wrote the song with Baker. The song featured in Baker's album "My Everything", which reached gold record status. He also alleges that Baker entered into a verbal agreement with him to perform at her concerts in Los Angeles, Detroit, Michigan, New York City and Chicago in June and July 2005 but cancelled a couple of them. Babyface is now demanding the money she was supposed to pay him for each concert. 

  
Hanks stripped in front of 'Mona Lisa'
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 14 (IANS) Tom Hanks stripped in front of Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" during the filming of the movie "The Da Vinci Code" since he had nowhere else to undress.

According to contactmusic.com, Hanks had to make a costume change during a scene with French actress Audrey Tautou at the Louvre museum in Paris. 

He says: "In the hall of the Mona Lisa we kept our technical equipment. And I went there to undress and get dressed again. I even changed my clothes in front of a statue of Apollo, which was about 5,000 years old. 

"The Louvre began to be our world. We were working as always with cameras, spotlights, tracks, but in the middle of these treasures of humankind."

Katie is just right for me, says Cruise
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 14 (IANS) Superstar Tom Cruise says his love for Katie Holmes is stronger than he has ever experienced before.

According to ananova.com, Holmes is due to give birth to their first child in the next few days. He said: "She's just right for me." 

He said he guessed that she was pregnant before she told him. "I just picked something up. I knew at that moment she was pregnant."
 

Spacey blames stage fright for play's failure
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 14 (IANS) Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey says stage fright was the reason for the poor reviews of the play "Resurrection Blues".

According to contactmusic.com, the play, written by Arthur Miller and directed by Robert Altman, will end its run after it has been slammed by critics and thinning audiences. Spacey, who has served as the theatre's artistic director since 2003, blames the cast that includes Matthew Modine, Neve Campbell and James Fox for its end. 

But he also praised them for learning from their mistakes. He said: "The unfortunate thing that happened on opening night is that the actors got hit with a case of the nerves and it kind of fell apart on that evening, and I think the reviews reflected that. 

"Everyone was completely open and honest about the fact the show wasn't where it should have gotten, but I can tell you that after the critics' night, that cast pulled themselves together. They started to deliver that play in a way that I think audiences saw a much better production than those critics saw."
 

Holloway considered dumping his fiancée
Indo-Asian News Service

New York, April 14 (IANS) Actor Josh Holloway, who stars in the TV show "Lost", has confessed that he thought of dumping his fiancée when he started becoming famous.

According to pagesix.com, he said: "There's a Hugh Hefner that lives in all men, happily. So when 'Lost' took off, part of me thought, 'Do I cut and run?' I still like to look around, but respectfully and with no intentions. 'Married, not buried,' I always say."

He says he still fantasises about being single. He added: "If I were single. Damn, I'd have one girl doing my laundry, one shaving me, one bringing me a cocktail and another one coming out of my tent all hung over."
 

Hathaway too pretty to play Austen
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 14 (IANS) Descendants of Jane Austen say actress Anne Hathaway is too pretty to play the author in the upcoming movie "Becoming Jane".

According to contactmusic.com, Hathaway was declared a bad choice for the role by literary figures who believe she "doesn't possess the right sensibilities". And actress Ann Chancellor, who is a direct descendant of Austen, also slammed the decision to change Austen into a beauty. 

She said: "In my mind Anne Hathaway is just too pretty to play her. Jane was a very plain woman. Her beauty was in her brain. But that's what Hollywood does." 

The movie will focus on Austen's doomed love affair with Irish lawyer Tom Lefroy played by James McAvoy, which failed because Lefroy's financial situation failed to impress Austen's family.
 

Parker slams Hollywood
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 14 (IANS) Actress Sarah Jessica Parker has slammed Hollywood saying studios only make movies for "16-year-olds".

According to contactmusic.com, Parker accused the system of catering to teenagers "wanting to see movies for knuckleheads". 

She said: "I remember when adults went to movies. Until about five years ago there were always adult films and they made their money back. It wasn't such a risk. So I feel I have to compete against audience's tastes."

Lohan has plans to do charity in Kenya
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 14 (IANS) Actress Lindsay Lohan is planning to take time out from her film career and help AIDS sufferers and poverty victims in Kenya.

According to contactmusic.com, Lohan is set to fly to Kenya with the charity organisation One Campaign after she finishes working on the John Lennon movie "Chapter 27". 

A spokesperson for the campaign said: "As with Brad Pitt and other celeb visits, it'll likely focus on where America is helping make a difference to save and change lives." 

Lohan is slated to visit local schools and clinics during the trip, although travel dates have yet to be confirmed.
 

White to focus on new band
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 14 (IANS) Rocker Jack White has confirmed that he is taking a break from The White Stripes to focus all his energy on a new band called The Raconteurs.

According to contactmusic.com, White has postponed all future recordings with his band mate and ex-wife Meg White despite saying that there will be a new album out soon. White says his new four-piece band is no longer a side project. 

He says: "A lot of people have this assumption that this is a side project or whatever, and the only way to solve that is to go out and play. The only way to show you are a band is to be a band, and that's what we are doing. 

"Of course, there is going to be more White Stripes records, more Greenhornes records, more Brendan Benson records, but for right now, it's time for The Raconteurs."

Chinese TV show looking for a 'few good men'
Xinhua

Shanghai, April 14 (Xinhua) A private Chinese television channel has launched a talent show on the lines of the popular US show "American Idol" in the hope of cashing in on reality television craze sweeping the country's media.

Aimed at selecting China's most charming man who combines traditional morals with modern ideas, the show has been launched by Shanghai's Orient Satellite Television.

The contest, "Cheer Up! Good Men", will run from April 10 to June 30 to select contestants from six metropolises - Shanghai, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shengyang and Guangzhou. All Chinese men over the age of 18 years are eligible to take part in the contest.

Some 30 regional level winners will compete in the elimination round July 1 and the finals will be held on Aug 12. 

The participant who receives the highest number of votes from the judges and TV viewers will be declared the winner and crowned "Super Good Man".

Reality television shows took off in China in 2000 with the introduction of endurance programmes based on the TV series "Survivor". 

Music contests became the rage after last year's mega show "Super Girls", produced by a private satellite channel in Hunan province in central China, was a huge draw with the viewers.

--Xinhua

Indo-Asian News Service
 

Tough competition awaits new Tomb Raider game
DPA

Hamburg, April 10 (DPA) Lara Croft had an impressive career for a computer character, essentially going from zero to hero. People who have never touched a computer game know her and her adventures were turned into two star-packed Hollywood films.

But then her career took a downturn, primarily because nobody had figured out the next step for her line of games. Now Lara Croft is back, albeit with a lot of competitors to fight off.

Since Lara's heyday, several games have become the new "must-have" titles. "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" is expected to be the most important game of the year. Its predecessor "Morrowind" set high standards for role-playing games with its gigantic playing universe.

"Oblivion" continues the trend, allowing players to submerge their heroes into a world of secrets and danger. Numerous details bring its worlds to life. Computerised inhabitants have their own daily routines, meaning they do not stand around waiting in one spot for the player to walk by.

On top of that, the gamer's actions influence character's behaviour and the game's progress. Its detailed graphics make a great first impression. They also demand the most up-to-date hardware, such as a three-GB processor, one GB of working memory and a high-resolution graphics card.

According to 2K Games of Munich, "Oblivion" should be in stores by April and sell for around 50 euros ($61).

Another April highlight is "Spellforce 2 Shadow Wars". The game is designed to build on the success of the first "Spellforce". Just like its predecessor, the new version mixes two completely different genres. It's a role-playing game where one leads the hero through adventures, but also a strategy game where the player has to construct bases and set up armies.

Koch Media in Planegg reports that "Spellforce 2 Shadow Wars" will be available starting April 7 for about 50 euros at most stores. For 70 euros, there will also be a collector's edition with extra content.

That means a lot of competition for Lara.

The developers of the new Lara Croft game, "Tomb Raider: Legend", are trying to engineer a comeback with a step backwards that offers players what they most liked about the adventurous archaeologist.

Instead of sending her to cities, she will head to temples and other scenic settings. Additionally, Lara will get an enhanced personality and more friends and rivals.

The game itself will focus on the search for an artefact, according to Eidos, the Hamburg-based publisher of the game. Lara will have new facial expressions and an expanded arsenal including magnetic grappling hooks and fragmentary grenades.

"Tomb Raider: Legend" should be available starting May 7 for about 50 euros.

Just about everyone might know Lara Croft, but Benoit Sokal's name is known only to a few insiders. But these insiders are a group of fans who want challenging but violence-free adventure games.

Sokal is the creative energy behind the Syberia titles. "Paradise", the next game in the series, should appear in April. The setting is the fictional country of Maurania in Africa. Playing Ann Smith, the gamer must solve a series of puzzles.

Ann Smith, the daughter of a despotic, survived a plane crash but lost her memory and wants to get it back. "Paradise" should be in stores April 24 for about 40 euros.

"Sim City" set the standard for city building games. But it has been a while since the building game had a new release. There weren't even rumours of a new version.

Now publisher Deep Silver plans to fill the gap with "City Life". Just like the original, the goal is to build a functioning metropolis from the ground up. But the principle is broadened in "City Life".

On the one hand, designs can't have luxury villas right next to atomic energy plants. But the city also has a variety of classes that do not necessarily get along.

To make the city grow and prosper, it has to be set up so inhabitants don't start fighting and destroying each other's homes. Players can see how that all works starting April 28 when "City Life" goes on sale for about 45 euros.

--DPA

Indo-Asian News Service

Prison guard disciplined over 'Brokeback' screening
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 10 (IANS) A prison officer in Massachusetts is facing disciplinary action after he showed the Oscar winning movie "Brokeback Mountain" to prisoners in Norfolk, near Boston.

The unnamed official planned a screening two days after the film was released on DVD, contactmusic.com reported. His bosses soon took action saying the film is inappropriate for a prison setting. 

A spokesperson for the prison said the decision to punish the official has nothing to do with the film's gay plot. He said: "It was the graphic nature of sexually explicit scenes." 

The officer failed to follow guidelines that require staff to review films in advance for excessive violence, nudity, or sex as well as involving assaults on correctional staff.

I am a woman: Antonio Banderas
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 10 (IANS) Actor Antonio Banderas stunned viewers in the US by revealing on live TV he is a woman.

According to contactmusic.com, Banderas stripped off his suit during the opening monologue as host of the show "Saturday Night Live" revealing a pink dress and knee-length leather boots and saying he was sick of being called a "macho man". 

He said: "Probably tonight is the beginning of the end of my career... After the show finishes I will not only be deported from this country but there is a strong possibility that they won't allow me back into mine. 

"But, you know what, I am tired of being called a Latin lover, a macho man... I am not an object. You will understand why I am saying this once you know the truth... I am, in fact, a woman. My real name is Guadalupe, but you can call me Lupita, or as some people know me, 'Puss In Boots'. 

"I have so much conflict over the past several years. As a man, I was living a lie, as a woman I am obviously less attractive but it is what it is."

He further showed his comic skills by imitating Mexican president Vincente Fox. 

Sleep depravation caused Eminem to crack up
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 10 (IANS) Rapper Eminem had to check into rehabilitation centre last year after he took prescription drugs to deal with his tiredness.

Eminem, who has refused to speak about his rehabilitation or his alleged addiction to drugs, recently revealed the reasons for his problems in an interview with Complex magazine. He said that travelling on the road left him exhausted and he suffered from writer's block, contactmusic.com reported.

He said: "The craziness of touring, it's hard to sleep. You are on the bus, the bus is moving, shaking, and you gotta get sleep so that you can be on point for the next show. Plus, I was flying home to Detroit to see the kids. 

"I was going home to see them between shows. So I had to, right after a show, get on a plane to go see them, and it's a five-hour flight. I'd hope I could sleep on the plane, get there just as they are waking up, and spend the day with them. It drove me insane. I just medicated myself to death."

Laid-back Hawaiian lifestyle annoys Lilly
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 10 (IANS) "Lost" television star Evangeline Lilly says she hates the laid-back lifestyle of Hawaii where she is filming the TV show.

Lilly says no one has a note of urgency. Life there really gets her down, especially when she is trying to get somewhere in a hurry, according to contactmusic.com. 

She says: "The notion of 'aloha' is really nice when you are a visitor walking on the sidewalk and everyone's cool and going, 'Yay! Aloha!' But when you are on the road running late for work and everyone's f**king 'Yay! Aloha!' you want to snap! 

"No one understands that there is a passing lane, no one understands there is a speed limit you can exceed."

Two of her co-stars - her boyfriend Dominic Monaghan and Michelle Rodriguez - have been booked for driving too fast.

Washington Post reporter disappoints Joan Felt
Indo-Asian News Service

New York, April 10 (IANS) Joan Felt, daughter of "Deep Throat" Mark Felt, was snubbed by Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward when she begged him to collaborate with her father on a book before he revealed that he was the source who blew the lid off Watergate.

According to pagesix.com, Joan, who lives with her 92-year-old father, says: "I poured my heart out to Bob in an e-mail. I had hoped the two would collaborate. Bob was the one with the memory, but dad has the personality - he's the colourful character. Woodward didn't bite: It was as if he was saying to me that dad was too old and no longer useful. That's my biggest gripe about Bob." 

In an article - which also reveals that Felt kept his wife's suicide a secret for years from his children - Woodward counters, "My conclusion after taking Mark Felt to lunch in 2000 and interviewing him at length was that his memory was not reliable."

Woodward was not happy that Felt went ahead in telling the story when he spoke to Vanity Fair through his lawyer John O'Connor.

Pike resents being called 'Bond girl'
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 10 (IANS) Actress Rosamund Pike is so sick of being known as "Bond girl" that she rebuffs fans when they approach her in public.

According to contactmusic.com, Pike would rather pretend to be a nobody than accept the attentions of curious Bond fans. 

She says: "It can be quite annoying. I was on the Tube (London underground train) recently and some teenage boys were pointing and staring and asking if I was the girl in the 'Bond' movies. I denied it. I just didn't like it."

Richard denies emigration stories
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 10 (IANS) Pop star Sir Cliff Richard has dismissed reports that he is set to leave Britain saying he is simply looking for smaller property.

According to contactmusic.com, Richard sparked rumours when he left England for New York after putting his mansion for sale. He has owned the house for more than 20 years and it is expected to fetch $10 million. 

The manager Bill Latham says Richard is just looking to pare down for partial reasons. He says: "It's an enormous place to keep running and he just doesn't need it. He spends three months of the year in Portugal and three months in Barbados, and just wants somewhere that's easier to look after."
 

Daniel Radcliffe becomes an 'extra'
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 10 (IANS) "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe has been awarded a role in the second series of "Extras" created by Ricky Gervais. 

According to contactmusic.com, Radcliffe is thrilled that Gervais invited him to appear on the show. He says: "I am so excited that the night after I got the call I didn't sleep a wink. I know nothing about what I am going to do but it's a great opportunity to do something different."

Jackson wanted 'King Kong' to be a comedy
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 10 (IANS) Peter Jackson says he almost made "King Kong" as a comedy but studio bosses didn't like the idea.

According to contactmusic.com, the movie was originally planned to be more funny than frightening. But Jackson reveals that he is glad he was forced to reconsider his idea because a funny giant ape movie would not have been successful.

He says: "Our 1996 draft was written as a very Hollywoody sort of tongue-in-cheek adventure story, full of gags and one-liners. In the end it probably turned out for the best."

Electra credits friendship for successful marriage
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 11 (IANS) Actress Carmen Electra says her husband Dave Navarro is her best friend and that's why their marriage is so successful.

According to contactmusic.com, Electra has had a bunch of failed relationships, including with basketball player Dennis Rodman and the singer Prince. She has now found love with Navarro.

She says: "He is my best friend. He really lets me be who I am. It's the first time I have ever been able to travel and go to work and feel comfortable and be able to sleep at night knowing that my friend loves me and isn't hurting me. It's really nice."

The couple want to start a family but want to take their time. 

She adds: "I do look forward to being a mom, but I am not rushing it. But that's what's crazy, there have been so many stories in the tabloids that Dave and I breaking up and now I am getting pregnant. I am going, 'Which is it?'"

Spears losing sex appeal
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 11 (IANS) Singer Britney Spears, who was once named the sexiest celebrity on the planet, does not even figure in this year's top 100 list.

According to ananova.com, Spears had topped the FHM's sexiest woman poll in 2004 and made it to the sixth position in 2005. But in the most recent poll she was placed 20 places outside the 100. As of now, Spears will need 20,000 more votes to enter in the top 100.

Ross Brown, editor of FHM, said: "A couple of years ago, FHM readers couldn't get enough of Britney, and they unanimously agreed that she was by far the sexiest woman on the planet. It is hard to believe that she is currently outside the top 100. 

"I can only guess that a raft of less-than-flattering photographs and her general disappearance from our TVs and radios have left readers under the impression that Britney's lost her sex appeal."
 

Huston recalls Botox nightmare
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 11 (IANS) Actress Angelica Huston has shunned Botox injections after her face froze during her last cosmetic procedure. 

According to contactmusic.com, Huston had received collagen injections in the past, but was advised by her doctor to give Botox a try. 

She says: "It wasn't a very good thing. I'll be honest, once in a while I have a little collagen - but not in the lips, I don't like those big moo-moo lips. I went to a doctor who said, 'Angelica, we have this wonderful new thing, it's called Botox.' He took a huge needle and plunged it into my third eye. 

"The pain was something inexplicable. I gasped, I writhed and when I came to, I had a headache that lasted four days. A serious one."

Huston's husband, artist Robert Graham, immediately noticed something was different about his wife's appearance. 

She adds: "I went home to my husband that night - he is a sculptor, he has a good eye and he said, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Nothing,' and he said, 'No, you have had something done.' 

"A little bit later that night we were having dinner in a restaurant and he was telling me some horrible story. I would say, 'Oh, that's really ghastly,' and I had no expression whatsoever. We got into a terrible fight."

Campbell in feud with Combs
Indo-Asian News Service

New York, April 11 (IANS) Supermodel Naomi Campbell is feuding with old friend Sean "Puffy" Combs.

According to pagesix.com, the two till recently would travel together and party late into the night but have not been on talking terms since Campbell pulled out of the NBC show Combs is producing. 

The show is called "Cooking Showdown" and pairs celebrities with super chefs. 

A source says: "Naomi found out Puff was the producer and dropped out. Combs will now have just the singer Ja Rule on the show and is stunned why Campbell could be so angry with him." 

Campbell is set to appear on Oprah Winfrey's talk show where she will talk about her anger-management issues.

Banderas, Griffith happy to prove critics wrong
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 11 (IANS) Hollywood star Antonio Banderas and his wife of 10 years Melanie Griffith are happy that their marriage has proved sceptics wrong.

According to contactmusic.com, the couple reveals that the critics hounded them when they first began together. He says: "I do remember when we got together that people were making bets. It was embarrassing. 

"I won't say the name of the guy but he offered me a bet that we wouldn't last longer than six months. I should have taken the bet. I'd have made a lot of money."

They insist they will keep their anniversary a quiet affair. 

Banderas adds: "We are pretty boring. We'll just do something low-key at home. Maybe just a little cake."
 

9/11 widows protest Stone's film
Indo-Asian News Service

New York, April 11 (IANS) Two women, whose husbands were among the New York Port Authority officers who died at the World Trade Center on Sep 11, have slammed Oliver Stone's upcoming movie saying they didn't want their children to watch how their fathers died or share the last moments of their husbands' death with the public.

According to contactmusic.com, Jamie Amoroso and Jeannette Pezzulo have said they have informed the studios. They also expressed their displeasure at the fact that the two other officers, who were with their husbands at that time but survived, were now being paid as consultants on the film.

Pezzulo's husband Dominick was trying to free one of the surviving men, Will Jimeno, when he was struck by falling debris and died. 

Addressing Jimeno, Pezzulo said: "My thing is: This man died for you. How do you do this to this family?" 

Jimeno told a newspaper that he felt it was important that the story be told accurately. He said: "I never crossed the line, it's our story, too. We are also victims of this."

Jessica Simpson to be next 'Baywatch' babe
DPA

Los Angeles, April 11 (DPA) American sex symbol Jessica Simpson is all set to star in the big screen version of the beach TV show "Baywatch", according to reports. 

The singer will don the infamous red swimsuit, previously worn by actress Pamela Anderson as the character CJ Parker in the popular lifeguard series.

Simpson, who is also in the headlines for a recent divorce, caught the eye of producers after her role in last summer's hit "The Dukes Of Hazzard". Producers hope David Hasselhoff will also agree to star in the film in his original role as Mitch Buchannon.

--DPA

Indo-Asian News Service

Terri Schiavo movie in the works
DPA

Los Angeles, April 11 (DPA) A book about the plight of right-to-die patient Terri Schiavo is to be turned into a major movie, according to trade magazine "Variety".

The comatose Schiavo became the focus of a national debate when her husband Michael battled her parents in court for years in order to gain the right to turn off her life support machine. She eventually died on March 31, 2005.

Now Michael Schiavo's just-published book "Terri: The Truth" has been optioned by producer Lawrence Bender of "Pulp Fiction" fame, to develop it into a television picture or a feature film.

"The story is almost Shakespearean in the warring of the families and the great love story between the (couple)," said a spokesperson for the producer. "It starts off so beautifully and then ends so chaotically."

--DPA

Indo-Asian News Service

Madonna's marriage hit 'bumpy period' says father-in-law 

DPA

London, April 11 (DPA) The marriage between US pop icon Madonna and her British filmmaker husband, Guy Ritchie, has been going through a "bumpy period", Ritchie's father said Tuesday.

In an interview with Britain's Closer magazine, John Ritchie said the couple had put their troubles behind them "for the sake of their children".

"It's the children that will keep them together. The children are everything to them."

The couple are currently spending time in Los Angeles with son Rocco, five, and Madonna's daughter Lourdes, nine.

Ritchie said: "LA seems to have helped them. It's easier out there because there is less pressure. They seem to have left the bumps they were having over here behind them."

Madonna and film director Ritchie, who is 10 years her junior, have been dogged in recent months by rumours their marriage is in trouble.

--DPA

Indo-Asian News Service

 
Baldwin slams Hilton for sex tape
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 12 (IANS) Actor Alec Baldwin has slammed socialite Paris Hilton for making a sex tape with Rick Salomon.

According to contactmusic.com, Baldwin is calling her 'dumb' and says she should have known better. He said he doesn't find her attractive and is shocked by her lack of common sense. 

He says: "When I did 'The Cat In The Hat' I had a scene with her. She was lovely, very sweet. But she decides to make a video with a guy whose lack of ethics wafts off him like cologne, who you can see from 50 feet away is trash. She puts the 'd in 'dumb'."
 

Cowell blames 'mad' Paula Abdul for clashes
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 12 (IANS) Simon Cowell has blamed fellow "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul for the spate of spats on the TV talent show saying she is "mad".

According to contactmusic.com, Cowell says the range of judges, from producer Randy Jackson, artist Abdul and himself, makes for a volatile show. But he singled out Abdul as the most temperamental of the three. 

He says: "Producers are, by nature, optimistic people. Record company people are cynical. And artists are just... mad. So maybe that's why you have different opinions on the show."

Stiller's cameo in Beastie Boys film
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 12 (IANS) Actor Ben Stiller made an unexpected cameo in the new Beastie Boys movie when he was captured on camera dancing and singing at one of their concerts.

According to contactmusic.com, the band has released "Awesome: I f**kin' Shot That" - the movie captures their Oct 9, 2005, concert at New York's Madison Square Garden. 

The group gave 50 fans hand-held Hi8 cameras and told them to film the concert and a few shot Stiller enjoying the concert. Band member Adam Yauch came up with the idea of audience members filming the show. 

Yauch explains: "We had a lot of Stiller cam. He's dancing around, lip-syncing, and people were telling me his wife (Christine Taylor) was standing next to him and saying, 'Chill out Ben, everyone is filming you, stop it'!"

Audiences want happy ending for Aniston and Vaughn
Indo-Asian News Service

New York, April 12 (IANS) Viewers want actress Jennifer Aniston to settle down with her boyfriend Vince Vaughn - in fact, the ending of their upcoming romantic comedy "The Break Up" had to be re-shot in keeping with what test audiences wanted.

According to pagesix.com, a source said: "The original screenplay had Jennifer and Vince's characters breaking up at the end. So it was shot that way - but test audiences hated it. It tested really - and I mean really - badly." 

So Aniston and Vaughn, who met while filming and fell in love, were sent back to Chicago to re-shoot, which cost the studios millions.

The source added: "The new ending has them getting back together in the end. It should really be called 'The Make Up'. People want to see Jennifer happy after she was thrown over by Brad Pitt for Angelina Jolie. And with the original ending - well, it was just too much of the same."

Lil' Kim plans to find 10-year-old prison pen pal
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 12 (IANS) Singer Lil' Kim plans to launch a search for a kind-hearted 10-year-old girl, who is helping her to feel better in jail, when she is released.

According to contactmusic.com, Kim admits that girl's letters helped her cope during the darkest days of her stint in prison. She wants to thank her personally after she is set free.

In an interview, she said: "I got a letter from a 10-year-old girl, and she said, 'Dear Lil' Kim. I am so sad that you are in jail, and I pray for you every night. I started selling lemonade so that I can make money to bail you out of jail.' 

"I was in tears. It was just the cutest thing, and you could tell it was so sincere. She sent me a picture of herself... I will remember her for the rest of my life. And when I come out, I'm gon' look for that little girl."

Longoria tackles immigration, slavery in new film
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 12 (IANS) "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria is taking on America's controversial immigration issue in a new film after she learnt that fellow Latinos were being roped into slavery.

According to contactmusic.com, Longoria accepts that she has become a role model for the Latin community and wants to make a positive change in the lives of immigrants living below the poverty line. 

She says: "I work a lot with the National Council of La Raza, which is the largest Latino civil rights organisation in the country and I work a lot with the United Farm Workers. I have been in the fields with these people and I have tried to experience a day in the life of these people. I am producing a documentary on the labour workers."

She adds: "We are in this big debate about the future of our immigration laws which is coloured by the often negative media portrayals of Latinos in television and film. In the 1940s, after the Great Depression, they did a huge deportation of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans who were American citizens and I think our administration can't afford to let this end badly again. 

"Everyone has a right to be treated as a human being. There are slavery lawsuits in Florida right now against some orange growers... The fact that the year is 2006 and slavery's still happening is insane."

Muhammad Ali sells image rights
DPA

New York, April 12 (DPA) Former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali has sold a majority interest in his name and image rights to media marketing company CKX for $50 million, the company said.

The deal gives the New York-based outfit an 80 percent share in the name, likeness and related rights of the legendary US boxer, with Ali and his family retaining the other 20 percent.

CKX last year bought Elvis Presley's name and image rights as well. 

"Muhammad Ali is truly the greatest of all time. Very few individuals have so dedicated their focus to promoting social well-being on a global basis," said Robert Sillerman, CKX chairman and chief executive, referring to Ali's extensive charity work abroad since his retirement.

"While we all recognise that Muhammad Ali is one of the greatest athletes of all time, his achievements outside of the boxing ring are certainly as great as his ascent to three-time world heavyweight champion," he added.

Ali suffers from the neurological disease Parkinson's, but continues to make public appearances where he is warmly greeted.

--DPA

Indo-Asian News Service

Eminem protégé shot dead in nightclub brawl
DPA

Detroit, April 12 (DPA) US-based rapper Proof, a protégé of Eminem and a member of the popular rap outfit "D12", was shot dead in a nightclub fight, police said.

Proof, 32, whose real name was Deshaun Holton, was shot in the head after a fight erupted Tuesday around 5 a.m. at C.C.C., a club on the city's notorious Eight Mile Road.

A second man was also shot in the head during the fight and was reportedly critical in hospital.

Proof released his first solo album, "Searching for Jerry Garcia", last August but was known more for his membership in the rap troupe "D12", which also includes Eminem.

--DPA

Indo-Asian News Service

Daniel Radcliffe in London's National Portrait Gallery
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 12 (DPA) Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe Wednesday became a star in London's National Portrait Gallery, where pictures of the rich and famous are on display.

The 16-year-old actor is the youngest person, except the offspring of the royal family, to have his portrait exhibited in the gallery on Trafalgar Square.

Radcliffe was 14, and had just embarked on the fourth Potter film when he posed for the drawing by Stuart Pearson Wright, whose previous studies include one of JK Rowling, the creator of the Potter books.

The picture shows the actor in jeans and T-shirt, looking thoughtful while sitting in an armchair in the artist's studio.

Radcliffe, who is at present shooting "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," said he was delighted to join the National Portrait Gallery.

"It is very weird. It is fantastic. It is a very, very strange feeling. In terms of painting, drawing and sketching, I am utterly talentless", he remarked.

--DPA

Indo-Asian News Service
 

Madonna sick of husband's martial arts
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 13 (IANS) Singer Madonna is fed up of husband Guy Ritchie's martial arts obsession and doesn't want her children exposed to violence.

Said a source, according to ananova.com: "Guy says Madonna always complains that he spends every spare second down at his local centre fighting - but he'd never give it up." 

Ritchie practises with the bodyguards because most of them are also jiu-jitsu fans and they all practise at the mansion.

The source added: "He turns up at the martial arts centre at the end of the very hardest class - just for the fights. He says it's the only thing that de-stresses him." 

Ritchie in an interview admitted: "I tried yoga for six months and it's not for me. I do judo or Brazilian jiu-jitsu, where men grapple one another while wearing Speedos in mud. No, that's not true, but it's a sort of sophisticated wrestling."
 

Stone's aides slam diva demand reports
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 13 (IANS) Publicists for actress Sharon Stone have slammed reports that the actress made crazy demands on the sets of "Basic Instinct 2" and said that she went out of her way to keep costs down.

According to contactmusic.com, the movie was a big flop in the US and rumours are spreading that Stone's diva-like manners ruined the film. The publicist rubbished rumours of the private jets, 24-hour armed bodyguard and $3,500 daily spending money. 

She says: "She (Stone) flew commercially with her assistant, nanny and children. The rest of the allegations are simply not true."
 

McGregor adopts four-year-old Mongolian girl
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 13 (IANS) Actor Ewan McGregor and his family have adopted a four-year-old girl from Mongolia.

According to contactmusic.com, McGregor and his wife Eve Mavrakis already have two biological daughters. A representative for McGregor said: "I can confirm Ewan McGregor and his wife Eve Mavrakis have adopted a girl, but cannot comment further." 

The couple had first met on the sets of the British crime series "Kavanagh QC" and married in 1995. 

McGregor and his best friend Charley Boorman had spent three months on a 32,000 km motorcycle trip for the TV series "Long Way Round". Mongolia was one of the stops featured on the journey.

Brosnan speaks out on Bond snub
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 13 (IANS) Former 007 star Pierce Brosnan has slammed the Bond bosses again, calling them "a**es."

According to contactmusic.com, Brosnan revealed that he was shocked when he was let go from the franchise for a younger actor. But he says he wouldn't have been so upset if the bosses had been more polite in letting him go. 

He says: "It was a shock to hear that you have passed your date of expiry. It's frustrating that these a**es pulled the rug out from under me. They always said, 'Come on, we are all one big family.' This 'We're one family' rubbish! You can't do it like that after 10 years and four movies!"

Jolie's reason for giving birth in Namibia
Indo-Asian News Service

London, April 13 (IANS) Actress Angelina Jolie has a special reason to give birth in Namibia because that is where she first became a mother. 

According to contactmusic.com, Jolie once called Namibia "the cradle of human kind" and an US magazine has found out why Namibia is so precious to her and why she chose that place for giving birth to her natural baby. 

Jolie first took custody of her adopted Cambodian son Maddox there back in 2002. Africa has also become a special place for her when she holidayed there with Brad Pitt a year ago. She also adopted another baby in Africa last summer.