Pop Stand

Morning Links: Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller "had a really bad day"

The Christmas Day fight between Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller was just a bad day, according to Mueller's lawyer, Yale Galanter. Galanter tells UsWeekly, "They’re very much in love, and they want to try to work it out. I think they had a really bad day, which is probably an understatement, but they need their privacy and they need some time." Galanter, meanwhile, has filed a motion in court requesting an amendment to the restraining order, which prevented the couple from communicating. "They want to act as husband and wife, and with the restraining order there, that’s tough to do."

Galanter also tells E! News that Mueller did not recant her story, as was rumored. "That never happened, she never recanted and she never changed her story."

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Charlie Sheen let himself down, according to a friend. "Charlie feels awful. He let himself down by drinking ... [And] he wants to be with his kids," an unnamed friend tells People. The friend also says that Sheen is just laying low until he can get back work.

And Charlie Sheen will be back on the set of "Two and a Half Men" on Monday according to another source. People.com says that the domestic dispute will not keep the star from production of his popular sitcom. "If he has to go to court on the 8th, it's only one day, and we can work around it," the source told the site.

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As part of a routine investigation, the Pitkin County Department of Social Services contacted the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services about the domestic dispute between Sheen and Mueller. JUrisdiction over the case may depend on whether the couple ever "continuously resided" in Colorado for 90 days. If they had, there could be a battle between California and Colorado agencies over serving the best interest of the couple's twin boys.

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Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was rushed to a hospital in Hawaii yesterday after suffering chest pains. His condition is up for debate, it seems. His own website says that he is "resting comfortably," while a local television station quoted a source as saying that he was in "serious condition." 

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Chris Robinson, of the band The Black Crowes, welcomed a daughter over the weekend. Robinson and wife Allison Bridges are the proud parents of daughter, Cheyenne Genevieve Robinson, who was delivered at the Robinson's home. This is the first child for the couple, but Robinson has a son with ex-wife, Kate Hudson.

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The former police chief who was convicted of breaking into the home of the nanny for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, was sentenced Tuesday to two years and eight months. Suspended Martins Ferry Police Chief Barry Carpenter was convicted in November for the June break-in of nanny Michelle Ross' home, and stealing ultrasound pictures, personal documents and a plaster belly cast.

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Michael Jackson's mini-movie music video for "Thriller" has been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in this year's crop of films. The National Film Registry, created in 1989, has 500 films that have been selected as being culturally significant and representative of American creativity in cinema.

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Rosie O'Donnell is dating again. After revealing in November that her partner Kelli Carpenter had moved out of their home two years ago, O'Donnell is now being spotted with a new gal. O'Donnell was spotted in Miami Beach with Texas artist and activist, Tracy Kachtick-Anders.

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Kate Gosselin is rumored to be shopping a reality TV show for herself, now that her TLC show appears to be done. PopEater says that a source tells them that Gosselin is pitching a dating show, where she will try to find new love. The site says that the show has not been green-lighted by any network yet, but an unnamed network exec tells the site, "Love her or hate her, people are fascinated by Kate. She has a lot of mouths to feed and Kate looking for love will certainly put bread on the table."

Morning Links: Source says Sheen's wife retained divorce lawyer weeks before his Christmas arrest

Sources say that Charlie Sheen's wife Brooke Mueller, who called police after she and Charlie had an alcohol-fueled confrontation in the early hours of Christmas, retained a divorce lawyer several weeks before his arrest. "She’s miserable in the marriage and so is he," said the source, described as being close to Mueller. A source described the same way told People, "Brooke and Charlie still love each other, but they are very different." The two "will make their best effort at counseling," the source adds, "[but] divorce is definitely a possibility." The pair married two years ago and have 9-month-old twin sons, Max and Bob, who were present at the house when the two battled and Mueller said Sheen threatened her with a knife. Child protective services in both Aspen and in the family's Los Angeles neighborhood say they are keeping tabs on the situation, as they always do when children are in a house where violence is reported. Sheen told police that he lost his temper and snapped two pair of Mueller's eyeglasses after she told him she would divorce him and take the children, but he did not choke her or threaten her with a knife. Sheen and ex-wife Denise Richards have two daughters together and went through a bitter divorce, including prolonged custody battles.

Sheen is one of those unusual people who actually has fewer tattoos as he grows older. RadarOnline, which obtained a copy of his arrest record, reveals that Carlos Irwin Estavez (that's Charlie's birth name) has 10 tattoos -- including one on his chest that says "Back in 15 minutes" -- and that he's in the process of getting four of them removed. The tats are all on his arms, chest and ankles, and the ones he is having removed include an open zipper with an eyeball popping out, a Yankees tattoo, a Japanese samurai and angel wings. He used to have two more, but had them removed. One was the name of his ex-wife, Denise Richards.

Jon Gosselin's attorney says a security tape will prove that Jon was in his apartment for less than a minute before he walked out to report that belongings had been stolen and clothing and other possessions slashed with a butcher knife when he returned from a visit to his kids on Christmas. MarK Jay Heller was responding to allegations that Gosselin staged the damage himself after discovering that Glassman had taken items from the apartment they once shared on Manhattan's Upper West Side. On Monday, Heller told RadarOnline.com, "Hailey Glassman is going to jail, it's as simple as that." Glassman's attorney, Stephanie Ovadia, responded to People, "For an attorney to go out there and say someone's going to jail when they're not even arrested – that's just irresponsible. That is the most ludicrous, ridiculous, unnecessary statement I have ever in my life heard."

Court papers made public this week show that Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston are battling over custody and child support for their 1-year-old son Tripp. In early November, Palin filed a court petition asking for full custody and a visitation schedule for Johnston, saying, "Levi is not yet mature enough to take on significant parental responsibilities." Johnston is seeking shared custody. The battle came to light only after a judge denied Palin's motion to keep the proceedings closed. Palin also asks the court to bar Johnston's mother, Sherry, from having unsupervised visits with Tripp. Sherry Johnston was sentenced to three years of home confinement last month after she pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver the painkiller OxyContin.

It was cute -- maybe too cute to last. Singer Taylor Swift and "Twilight" actor Taylor Lautner have split, a source close to Swift tell People, while insisting that "It was never a big deal to begin with. The media made way more out of it than it is."  Both Swift and Lautner hosted "Saturday Night Live" recently and referred to each other in skits. But soon after Lautner defended Swift by karate-chopping the head off a cardboard Kanye on SNL, the two decided that they would remain just friends. A friend of Lautner added that the long-distance relationship -- he lives in Los Angeles and she lives in Nashville -- was a big factor in the decision.

Indy car driver and former "Dancing with the Stars" champ Helio Castroneves and girlfriend Adriana Henao are the parents of a daughter. Castroneves, an Indy driver and champion of "Dancing with the Stars" Tweeted that "Mikella was born!!!!" and shared a photo of the new family, left. The baby girl – who weighed in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 19 inches – arrived Monday afternoon in Atlanta. Mother, baby and dad were all reportedly doing well.

-- Anne Neville

Morning Links: Charlie Sheen allegedly threatened to kill wife; jealousy of Sheen kids prompted fight

The details of Charlie Sheen's domestic incident get uglier as the days pass. An arrest warrant affidavit released yesterday recounts the events of the Christmas Day incident. According to Sheen's wife, Brooke Mueller, Sheen pinned her to the bed, straddling her, and held a knife to her neck. Sheen also allegedly threatened her saying, "You better be in fear. If you tell anybody, I'll kill you.... Your mother's money means nothing, I have ex-police I can hire who know how to get the job done and they won't leave any trace."

Also in the arrest warrant is a claim that the whole dispute was prompted by a silly made-up song. The report says that Mueller frequently becomes jealous of Sheen's relationship with his daughters, and allegedly became angry when Sheen began singing a made-up song to oldest daughter Sam about a Christmas present purchased for her. Mueller was said to become upset and badgered Sheen about why she also didn't have a song from him, and it all escalated from there.

In the 911 call, available at People.com, Mueller tells the operator, "My husband had me with a knife. I was scared for my life and he threatened me."

Sheen, however, denies that the domestic incident occurred like that, instead saying it consisted of arm-slapping and him breaking eyeglasses in half in front of her. Sheen was arrested on suspicion of menacing, second-degree assault and criminal mischief, and was released on $8,500 bail. 

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Sheen's family was afraid something like this might happened, and begged him not to go to Aspen with Mueller for Christmas, according to E! Online. A source  tells E!, "Things have been bad for a while. They begged Charlie not to go." An earlier dispute around Thanksgiving did not end up with a 911 call, but Sheen did spend the night in a hotel, according to the source.

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Singer Van Morrison and his wife Gigi welcomed a son, making Morrison a father again at age 64. George Ivan Morrison III was born yesterday according to a released on the singer's website. The statement from Morrison's manager says that the boys is "the spitting image of his daddy," and that he will have dual citizenship of the U.K. and U.S.

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Following Oprah's lead, Tyra Banks has decided to end her talk show this Spring. Banks will end her 5-year-old talk show to focus on her production company and to try big screen projects, according to Variety. The CW network, which airs Banks' show, will complete the 2010-11 season with "Best of" episodes. Banks will, however, continue on with reality shows "America's Next Top Model" and "Real Beauty." 

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Rapper Lil Wayne played a concert in New Orleans yesterday as a send-off before being sentenced on a weapons charge in February which is expected to put him behind bars for a year. Even with the pending sentence, Lil Wayne is staying busy. He will perform four more shows in Texas and Louisiana, and is set to release a new album on February 1st.

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Hailey Glassman's attorney believes that the break-in at Jon Gosselin's apartment was a staged stunt by Gosselin looking for sympathy and publicity. Anand Ahuja says that his client, Glassman, has no involvement in the incident and says, "Somebody is trying to frame my client.... My client had nothing to do with this. As far as she is concerned, it's a hoax." Gosselin's attorney, Mark Heller, says that he will vigorously pursue felony charges against whoever perpetrated this break-in. 

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Rocker Gene Simmons was sued last week by a Los Anegeles couple who claim that Simmons went crazy when they tried to videotape him. The couple approached Simmons at an area mall and asked him his opinion on monogamy, as the rocker once claimed to have been with over 1,000 women. After hearing the question, Simmons allegedly attacked and threatened the couple, and took their video camera. The couple is seeking damages of more than $25,000 for civil claims of assault, battery and infliction of emotional distress.

Morning Links: Hailey Glassman questioned after Jon Gosselin's apartment is ransacked

Jon Gosselin's ex-girlfriend Hailey Glassman was questioned by police but not charged after an intruder entered his Manhattan apartment while he was spending Christmas in Pennsylvania with his kids. The intruder stole electronics, as well as his pots, pans and dishes, then slashed his clothing and other belongings with a knife and left a note "speared" into a wooden bedroom dresser, according to his lawyer. TMZ is reporting that the note, which called Jon a "cheater," was signed with Glassman's name, but of course wasn't necessarily written by Glassman. Attorney Mark Jay Heller said in a statement that Gosselin "was horrified, disheartened and saddened to observe the devastation of his furniture, clothing and personal belongings, which were apparently slashed with a butcher knife by a very troubled and sick perpetrator." The items stolen included his television, CD player, coffee maker, a Nintendo Wii game and dishes, pots and pans, while some of his clothing, luggage and bedding was slashed and an antique Ming vase was smashed. Gosselin and Glassman broke up in October, although the apartment is said to be in both their names. The photo at left was taken when the two visited France in July.

After Charlie Sheen spent part of Christmas Day in jail on domestic violence charges, he and wife Brooke Mueller are staying in separate states for a while, but plan to reunite and get some counseling, a source close to Mueller tells People. Sheen was arrested after an argument that began at a friend's dinner party in Aspen, Colo., continued through the night and into the next day, the source said. "Both of them were drinking and neither was supposed to be. They both have histories of alcohol abuse and have made every effort to stop. But things got out of hand." Sheen was booked at 11:20 a.m. on Christmas, charged with two felonies, second-degree assault and menacing -- which TMZ is reporting was based on Mueller's claim that Sheen threatened her with a knife -- and criminal mischief. His mug shot is shown at left. He posted $8,500 bond, was released at 7 p.m. and returned to Los Angeles, while Mueller remained in Aspen, the source said. "Both he and Brooke will undergo counseling and Charlie will get anger management counseling," said the source. TMZ reports that Mueller has changed the story she told police initially, and had a .13 blood alcohol level when police spoke with her, while Sheen's was .04. The two have twin 9-month-old sons, Bob and Max.

A source close to Mueller told EOnline that she and Sheen have often argued over Mueller's mother and how much socializing they do. "Brooke and Charlie have had many fights during their short marriage over his insistence on staying home and never wanting to go out," the source said. They married in May 2008 after Sheen's bitter divorce from Denise Richards.

In other Christmas foolishness, a neighbor of the Jenner-Kardashian household objected to a valet parking stand set up for a party and wound up taking a swing at the pastor who married Khloe and Lamar Odom, TMZ is reporting. Witnesses told police the neighbor appeared intoxicated, and at one point fell over and cut his face. When Pastor Brad Johnson of Life Change Community Church tried to help him up, the neighbor struck the minister, according to TMZ. Jenner broke up the scrap, and no one was arrested. But Johnson Twittered, "All fine at Kardashian party. I wasn't punched. No Pulitzer for TMZ."

Ivana Trump was escorted off an airplane before takeoff in Florida after police say she shouted and cursed at some children who were running and screaming in the aisle of the plane. It's not clear how old the children were or whether they were running wild in first class or in coach. When flight attendants asked her to calm down, she became more irate and was eventually taken off the plane by Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies and sent on her way without being charged.

Troubled comedian Katt Williams was photographed with what looked like the handle of a handgun sticking out of the back of his pants after an argument in a Hollywood club, TMZ is reporting. Williams, who has had a couple of recent arrests, got into an argument with some people outside a club, went to his car, and returned with what looked like a pearl-handled revolver stuffed in his jeans. Nobody was hurt and Wiliams didn't brandish the weapon.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie kept their charity at home this year, giving $100,000 to the American branch of SOS Children's Villages, which houses more than 200 children at sites in Florida and Illinois. "We have seen first-hand the remarkable job SOS does to raise orphaned and abandoned children and keep families together," Jolie said. "No one 'ages out' of an SOS Village: vocational training, advanced education, living assistance and moral support are there forever."

Actor Bradley Cooper gave his new girlfriend, Renee Zellweger, some holiday bonding time with his parents, Gloria and Charlie, in Los Angeles. The foursome's pre-holiday festivities included a shopping trip for Zellweger and her beau's mom in Venice, Calif. "Renée seems to get along really well with Bradley's parents," a source told People. The two were first seen together in August. Both have been in brief marriages -- Zellweger's to singer Kenny Chesney lasted seven months, while Cooper, who was widely rumored to be involved with Jennifer Aniston in the spring, was married to actress Jennifer Esposito for four months in 2007.

-- Anne Neville
 

Remembering the 'aughts': How did your life change in the last decade?

As the millennium dawned, nobody had an iPod or an iPhone, much less an app. Google, YouTube and blogs were all nonsense words. Texting was unknown; we communicated instantly via IMs while sitting at our computers. Twitter was something a bird might do, not a person. If you bought something on eBay, you paid with a money order -- no PayPal. Imagine life without Facebook -- some 300 million people worldwide can't.

Two types of odd-looking footwear became wildly popular -- plastic shoes called Crocs and fleece-lined suede boots called, appropriately, Uggs. Viewers drifted from scripted TV shows to reality shows, starting with "Survivor." Talent contest shows, starting with the granddaddy, "American Idol," exploded, from "Dancing with the Stars" to "Top Chef" to "Hell's Kitchen" to "So You Think You Can Dance" and many more. The DVR replaced the VCR, which had seemed miraculous in its time.

Of course, there were massive serious social changes too. On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists hit America on its shores for the first time, changing everything from air travel to border-crossing. It was the decade when identification badges worn around the neck became a common sight on ordinary office workers. The economic freefall of the late 'aughts' left millions without jobs. As the New Year approached, it began to look as through the economy might be starting to pull out of its slump.

What are your nominations for the biggest life-changers in the years from 2000 to 2009? And what do you think the next decade -- the 10s -- will hold for the world?

-- Anne Neville

A Christmas tradition: Watch as NORAD tracks the progress of Santa's sleigh!

I always wondered why NORAD got involved in tracking the route of Santa's sleigh across the world. Here's the explanation, from an AP story:

"The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, has tracked Santa's progress every Christmas Eve since 1955. On Thursday morning, the Colorado military installation showed Santa having visited parts of Asia and Australia and moving westward.

"NORAD usually monitors threats against the United States and Canada, but turns its radars on Santa each holiday.

"The tradition started more than 50 years ago when a newspaper Sears-Roebuck ad told kids to dial a number if they wanted to talk to Santa.

"But the number was one digit off. When the first call came to NORAD's predecessor, a military colonel told an eager child he would check the radars for Santa."

Thursday afternoon, according to the AP, Santa Claus was making steady progress and appears to be on track for a late-night arrival in the United States.

The Norad site also offers puzzles and online games for children, and answers to the most frequently asked questions about Santa, including Virginia O'Hanlon's famous letter.

Have a wonderful Christmas, and check out PopStand on  Monday morning!

-- Anne Neville and Dave Valenzuela

Morning Links: Brittany Murphy to be buried today; eerie movie photo pulled from DVDs

Brittany Murphy is scheduled to be buried today in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills, in a "strictly private" cemetery, RadarOnline is reporting. Her father, Angelo Bertolotti, has been estranged from his daughter and her mother for about eight years and has not been invited to the services, he said. Dozens of stars are already buried in the cemetery, including Andy Gibb, Bette Davis, Liberace, Freddie Prinze Sr., Sandra Dee, Buster Keaton and John Ritter.

An eerie posed poster that shows Murphy lying lifeless in a bathtub for her lead role in the 2009 thriller  "Deadline" is being quickly pulled from DVD kiosks. Officials from Redbox say field teams are racing to remove the upsettingly realistic image from the company's 19,000 kiosk displays nationwide. The company distributing the DVD also says it will change the art for the box as soon as possible. Murphy collapsed and died in the shower at her house Dec. 20. An autopsy found no immediate cause of death, which will not be determined pending toxicology and other reports. Those reports could take four to six weeks to be completed.

Simon Cowell's brother says his famous sibling will spend one more season at the judges' table of "American Idol' before quitting the show. Writer Tony Cowell, who is spending the holiday in Barbados with Simon and other family members, said on his podcast, "Meanwhile, Simon prepares for a new season of Idol -- or should I say, his last season of Idol. OK, I will. Because it is. As I sit here with my family in the sunny Caribbean, a press statement is being prepared, which will confirm what everyone expected: Simon will leave Idol at the end of 2010 to concentrate on bringing the American version of 'X Factor' to U.S. TV in 2011."  An "American Idol" spokesman refused to comment. Cowell, whose contract with 'Idol' expires in May, has been discussing his contract with Fox since last summer.

Legal  papers asking that documents in the Courtney Love custody case be sealed because they refer "to a minor and allegations of domestic violence" raise the issue of whether Kurt Cobain's erratic widow was violent with the couple's daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, 17. The two are shown together, at left, before the order. On Dec. 11, a judge stripped Love of legal control over her daughter and appointed Kurt's mother and his sister as her guardians. The judge also issued a temporary restraining order, which "restrains Courtney Love Cobain, from certain behavior and from coming within a certain distance of Frances and her guardians."

The parents who orchestrated the Balloon Boy hoax on Oct. 15 were sentenced to jail and probation when they appeared in a Colorado court Wednesday. Larimer County Judge Stephen Schapanski sentenced Richard Heene to 90 days in jail -- 30 days locked up followed by 60 days on "work release," meaning that he will be working during the day and sleeping in his cell at night -- starting Jan. 11. He must also complete four years' probation, along with 100 hours of community service. His wife, Mayumi Heene, was given 20 days behind bars to be served after her husband completes his sentence, followed by four years probation and 120 hours of community service. During the probation, said the judge, "Mr. Heene is in fact prohibited from receiving any form of financial benefit -- whether it be media, a book, an article he writes -- anything of that kind that stems from this incident." In court, Richard Heene said, "I do want to reiterate that I'm very, very sorry. And I want to apologize to all the rescue workers out there and the people that got involved in the community. That's it." His wife did not make a statement.

Singer Amy Winehouse was charged with assault after reportedly attacking the stage manager at a theater pantomine show over the weekend. Reports in the British press say that Winehouse was standing in the audience and obscenely heckling the actors in the children's production of "Cinderella." When the theater manager tried to escort her to a private box, she reportedly grabbed him, pulled his hair and kicked him in the groin. Her own security people escorted her from the theater. She has apparently reconciled with her ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, and used the name "Amy Civil" at the police station.

After decades of onstage injuries, aggravated by a fall from a stage earlier this year, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has entered a rehab facility for pain management and an addiction to prescription painkillers. "With the help of my family and team of medical professionals, I am taking responsibility for the management of my pain and am eager to be back on the stage and in the recording studio with my bandmates Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Tom Hamilton and Brad Whitford," Tyler says in a statement released to People. His daughter, actress Liv Tyler, says, "My family and I are in complete support of my dad's decision to seek treatment. He is a courageous man. We love him and are so proud that he is getting help to balance his pain management, not just for himself but for his family, friends and fans." Tyler's orthopedic surgeon says injuries to his knees and feet have left Tyler with "severe chronic pain" and he will require future surgeries.

After 23 years and two sons together, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins called it quits over the summer, People magazine reported. "Actress Susan Sarandon and her partner of 23 years, actor Tim Robbins have announced that they separated over the summer," her rep, Teal Cannaday, said in a statement. "No further comments will be made." The couple met on the set of "Bull Durham," where Sarandon played an older groupie and Robbins played a wild young pitcher. Although they never married, they had two sons, Jack, 20, and Miles, 17.  Sarandon was previously married to Chris Sarandon and had a daughter, actress Eva Amurri, with director Franco Amurri in 1985.

Johnny Knoxville -- real name Phillip John Clapp -- and girlfriend Naomi Nelson are the parents of a son, given the moniker Rocko Akira Clapp. Born Sunday night in Los Angeles, the baby weighed 8 pounds and measured 20 inches long. Rocko has a big sister, Madison, Knoxville's 13-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

-- Anne Neville

Morning Links: Brittany Murphy's 'devastated' husband denies she used drugs, had eating disorder

In a lengthy, sometimes tearful interview, Brittany Murphy's husband Simon Monjack, shown at left with the star, says he has no idea what could have caused her death, but strongly denied that she had an eating disorder or could have died of a drug overdose. "These rumors that she was anorexic? It's crazy – she was slim, but that was her natural physique," screenwriter Monjack told People. "This is what's killing all of us: How did it happen? Her mum, myself and her family – we want to know why we lost our baby." Although police found a dozen prescription medications in the master bedroom, Monjack said Murphy did not abuse them. "There was nothing here that could endanger her; there was prescription medication in the house for her female time and some cough syrup. That was it." Monjack, 39, who described himself as "devastated" and said he hadn't slept since his wife died early Sunday, said he immediately opposed an autopsy on emotional grounds. "My initial reaction to the autopsy was – they're going to cut her open – I couldn't bear it," Monjack said, weeping. "That would break her mother, but we realized we needed to know. I look forward to getting the results." He also repeated the report that Murphy was slightly ill for a few days before she died, and taking herbal remedies for a sore throat.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office has launched an investigation into how the web site TMZ got detailed notes from an investigator about the circumstances of Murphy's death. "The investigator did not release anything to TMZ, nor did he talk to anybody," said the agency's chief investigator, Ed Winter. "Where did all this information come from? Neither Chief [Coroner Craig] Harvey nor I released the information. I don't even know if we provided LAPD with a copy of anything yet."

Meanwhile, the director of "Abandoned," the final film Murphy completed, in late summer, told People she was "a pro." Director Michael Feifer told People the actress, who played the lead in the psychological thriller that also starred Dean Cain, Mimi Rogers and Peter Bogdanovich, could jump into any role. "When she needed to turn it on, she just threw a switch and she was on ... playing frantic came really easy and playing sweet came really easy." Feifer said, "It hurts me to hear all this salacious stuff because my experience with Brittany was really one of my best experiences with an actress."

The Larimer County District Attorney's office says it sent a bill for $42,000 to "Balloon Boy" parents and would-be reality show stars Richard and Mayumi Heene to pay for the extra work done by police, the National Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration to track the homemade balloon in which they claimed their son Falcon had been carried off. Think they will be writing a check right away? Guess again. "Let's see the bills," the Heenes' lawyer told the Denver Post."They're not paying anything until they see some receipts."

The newly released FBI files on Michael Jackson show that in addition to probing letters from stalkers and threats to the singer, the bureau was involved in collecting evidence against Jackson several times over the years because it was believed that Jackson might have taken minors across state lines to molest them. The papers show that an FBI agent accompanied other law enforcement officials who traveled to the Philippines in 1993 to interview former employees of the Neverland ranch.

Beyonce, Taylor Swift and the Black Eyed Peas will get lots of stage time at the 2010 Grammy Awards on Jan. 31. Not only are they all nominated a lot -- Beyonce 10 times, Swift eight times and the Peas six times -- but they will all perform. Swift is also set to present an award, a source told People. Other nominees scheduled to perform at the ceremony are Maxwell, with six nominations, and Lady Antebellum, with two.

Randy and Evi Quaid showed up in court Tuesday to plead not guilty to defrauding an innkeeper in Santa Barbara, in connection with a $10,000 tab that was left unpaid at a luxury hotel earlier this year. After they missed an earlier court date, the eccentric pair forfeited their bail and were arrested as felony fugitives in Texas, where the live. Tuesday they were required to post an additional $20,000 bail each and warned that they must return March 1 for a preliminary hearing.

Rapper T.I. is halfway home for Christmas -- he's out of prison after serving seven months in  Arkansas and in a halfway house. T.I., real name Clifford Harris, was sentenced on federal weapons charges in March for having his bodyguard buy machine guns and silencers. T.I. still must complete 23 days of home confinement and 500 hours of community service.

Brody Jenner of "The Hills" and Playboy Playmate and model Jayde Nicole are no longer a couple. "They did break up," a source told People. Jenner, the son of Olympian athlete Bruce Jenner and songwriter Linda Thompson, had dated the 2008 Playmate of the Year for more than a year, and the two had been friends for two years before becoming romantically involved. Nicole Tweeted on Friday "Sometimes when you truly love someone you have to let them go ... I never really understood that quote until now."

-- Anne Neville

Morning Links: A dozen prescription drugs found in Brittany Murphy's house; friends tell of her 'inner demons'

Brittany Murphy's husband and mother made frantic rescue efforts to revive her after her mother found her unresponsive on the floor of the bathroom of her house, TMZ.com is reporting. An investigator's notes also indicated that the bedroom nightstands held "large amounts" of medication prescribed to Murphy, her husband, mother and "unidentified third party names." The drugs included Topamax, an anti-seizure drug that prevents migraines; Methylprednisolone, an anti-inflammatory; Fluoxetine, which treats depression; Klonopin and Ativan, both anti-anxiety meds; Carbamazepine, which treats diabetic symptoms and bipolar disorder; Ativan, an anxiety med; the pain relievers Vicoprofen and Hydrocodone; Propranolol, used to treat hypertension, and to prevent heart attacks; the antibiotic Biaxin and vitamins. The notes say, "No alcohol containers, paraphernalia or illegal drugs were discovered."

An autopsy on Murphy found no sign of foul play. Her body was "normal," so the cause of her sudden cardiac arrest and death on Sunday morning is not known, pending toxicology and other tests, which are expected in four to six weeks, according to the coroner.

Murphy seemed happy in public, but friends say she battled "inner demons," including body image issues. She looked thin and frail in her final public appearance, left, on Dec. 3, which led to the return of rumors that she suffered from drug abuse and/or eating disorders. "Brittany seemed sick for a while," a friend told E!Online. Besides her weight, "She made a few lifestyle choices that had her friends concerned. But it doesn't look like many people did anything about it," the friend said. In 2005, Murphy denied rumors that she used cocaine, saying, "I have never tried it in my entire life. I've never even seen it … It couldn't be further from the truth." The same year, she denied reports that she had an eating disorder. "I'm the same size I was in 'Clueless,' it's just that the weight in your face changes as you grow and get older," she said. "This is my body. I'm proud of it … I'm healthy."

TMZ reports that Murphy did have a will, written before she met her husband, Simon Monjack. The will leaves her estate to her mother, Sharon Murphy. The house Brittany owned was held in trust, which was created before she met Monjack, so TMZ reports he is not listed on the title.

Elin Nordegren has now reportedly decided to hold off on filing for divorce from Tiger Woods. Sources say she is still especially upset by the revelation that Tiger had a three-year affair with one of the womenwho have come forward, and that he had sexual encounters with another while Elin was pregnant. Elin has reportedly told friends that she could have forgiven one fling, but these two circumstances are difficult to forgive. Meanwhile, Tiger, who has not been seen in public since the day-after-Thanksgiving car crash that brought his double life into the open, reportedly set sail on his 155-foot luxury yacht from Florida with a bunch of male friends, apparently cruising to the Bahamas.

The magazine editor who once claimed to have sex a gay video starring Tom Cruise -- and later retracted that claim after Cruise sued him -- now claims that Cruise, his attorney and a private detective conspired to tap his phone. Michael Davis Sapir, publisher of Bold Magazine, filed a lawsuit Friday, claiming that back in 2001, when Cruise's lawsuit against him was pending, Cruise, his attorney Bert Fields and private investigator Anthony Pellicano, who is now in prison, tapped his phone, and he wants $5 million. Bert Fields says, "The allegations are absolute garbage."

Country superstar Carrie Underwood and her hockey-playing honey, Mike Fisher of the Ottawa Senators, are engaged. "The couple couldn't be happier," her rep told People after confirming the news. "No wedding date has been set at this time." "It's true," Fisher told the Toronto Sun on Monday as the Senators prepared for a game. "We're both obviously excited and very happy." The word is that Fisher, 29, popped the question Sunday afternoon at his house. Senators teammate Chris Neil said Fisher called him soon after the event. Neil said, "I think it's great. It's a long time coming. There's going to be a lot of broken hearts in Ottawa with all those girls who are in love with Mikey." If she changes her last name to his, a TMZ reader notes, the singer and "American Idol" winner will be Carrie Fisher.

After a few months out of the spotlight, troubled singer Amy Winehouse returned with a bang over the weekend, heckling the cast of a holiday pantomime show and then attacking a theater staffer when he tried to get her to move to a private box, according to Britain's Sun. At the traditional holiday pantomime of "Cinderella," with the house full of families, Winehouse stood and obscenely heckled the players, which included Mickey Rooney. When theater manager Richard Pound tried to move her out of the crowd, she attacked him, pulling his hair and kicking him in the groin. Police were called, and Winehouse could face another assault charge. The volatile singer was last accused of assault in March for punching a fan at a charity ball who asked for a photo. In that case, the judge said the fan could have been struck by accident and dismissed the case. A few days ago, Winehouse's ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, who is in drug rehab, said the two are engaged and plan to marry again. They were married for two years and their divorce became final four months ago.

-- Anne Neville

Morning Links: Brittany Murphy's husband opposes autopsy to explain shocking death of wife, 32

The shocking death of actress Brittany Murphy early Sunday morning is being blamed on "cardiac arrest," but the reason her heart stopped will probably not be known until the autopsy is completed. Murphy's mother, Sharon, found the 32-year-old unconscious in the shower at the Los Angeles house Murphy shared with her husband, producer Simon Monjack, at about 8 a.m., according to TMZ. Someone in the house called 911, but efforts to revive her failed and Murphy was pronounced dead at Cedars Sinai Medical Center at 10:04 a.m., a spokesman confirmed to People. A neighbor who watchedthe resuscitation efforts says that when she saw Murphy, "she was fairly obviously dead at that time." The neighbor also said Murphy's husband, Mojack, was "staggering around" and "in a daze" as firefighters tried to revive his wife. He looked disheveled as he returned to his house from the hospital Sunday.

Perez Hilton reported Sunday evening that Monjack "strongly opposes the Los Angeles County Coroner's office's decision to perform an autopsy on Murphy!!!!" The coroner's office still plans to go ahead with the autopsy. Earlier, blogger Hilton wrote, "Absolutely devastating. Especially because this comes as no surprise! We, and those who knew Brittany personally, saw this coming. That does not make this any less horrible. ... Lindsay Lohan and Courtney Love take note: that could have been YOU!" TMZ reported that Murphy's mother told paramedics that Murphy had been diagnosed with diabetes. It is not known whether this could have been a factor in her death.

In a statement Sunday afternoon, Murphy's rep, Nicole Perna, said, "In this time of sadness, the family thanks you for your love and support. It is their wish that you respect their privacy." Murphy's first significant acting job, at age 14, was in the series "Drexell's Class," which starred Dabney Coleman. Murphy appeared in "8 Mile" with Eminem, "Girl, Interrupted," with Angelina Jolie, "Clueless," with Alicia Silverstone, and "The White Hotel," after which she married Monjack, who was the film's director.

At the end of November, Murphy was reportedly fired from "The Caller," a movie she was working on in Puerto Rico, but her rep denied that she was let go, saying, "She was not nor has she ever been fired from any job big or small ... [due] to creative differences Ms. Murphy and the production mutually parted ways." Around the same time, Monjack reportedly got into a scuffle with some local people in Puerto Rico and was stricken with a mystery ailment as he flew home, arriving at LAX "incoherent" and requiring hospitalization.

Murphy had dated Ashton Kutcher, left, her co-star in "Just Married." On Sunday he Tweeted, "see you on the other side kid ... 2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon." Alicia Silverstone, who co-starred with Murphy in "Clueless," told People, "I always felt connected to her as we shared a very special experience in our lives together ... I feel love in my heart for her – and hope she is at peace. This is truly sad." The two did not stay in close touch after the 1995 hit, said Silverstone, but, "I loved working with Brittany. She was so talented, so warm, and so sweet." Others took to Twitter to express their sadness. Jessica Simpson said: "Brittany Murphy was an incredible ray of Light to so many people. Her smile was contagious. My prayers are with her family and loved ones." Lindsay Lohan's statement said, "My deepest condonlences go out to all of Brittany Murphy's loved ones& may she rest in peace....She was a great talent w/a beautiful soul xo" Alyssa Milano wrote, "[Brittany] and I did a USO Tour together in 2003. [Love] She was a sweet soul, with a lot of talent and heart." Hillary Duff posted, "RIP Brittany Murphy forever in our hearts" Jeff Bowler, who produced the just-released film Across the Hall co-starring Murphy, told Us Magazine, "It's truly a tragedy ... She was a great person with a huge heart."

While analysts lined up to discuss the possible financial ramifications of Elin Nordegren's expected divorce filing from Tiger Woods, not much has been heard about the reaction of another woman in the golf star's life -- his mother, Kultilda Woods. A family friend tells People that his mother "is hurt, angry and disappointed in Tiger. She wants to know how he could do this to his family." Kultilda Woods is said to be "worried about" daughter-in-law Elin and grandchildren, whom she "adores." "She doesn't want to see them hurt," the friend said. She also supports her son, the source said. "She loves him and will support him through anything, but she needs some time to work through this." Tiger plans to spend some time alone on his yacht, according to the source. "He's devastated about everything he has lost," says the friend. "He'll go through some dark times. It's going to be a lonely Christmas for him."

The East Coast blizzard didn't affect Kevin Jonas's fairytale wedding to Danielle Deleasa Saturday night at Oheka Castle, a French-style chateau in Long Island. The 400 guests who turned out in the snowstorm were ushered into a fairytale forest under heated white tents. "The snow only made it look more like a winter wonderland," said Michael Russo, the Roses-n-Lollipops event planner who designed the lavish nuptial area."Danielle looked like a princess," he said. When she walked down the aisle in her strapless tulle and Chantilly lace Vera Wang gown, "Kevin couldn't stop smiling." The couple told People, "We're so happy that we're finally married and we were able to share the special moment with family, friends and loved ones."

He was born Dec. 8, and finally, after a trip "back to the drawing board," the son of Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen has a name -- Benjamin. On her web site, Gisele writes, "I want to thank you all with all my heart for the immense love I have received here on the website. It is a pleasure to receive messages from each one of you here. I am living a very special moment in my life, Benjamin is a blessing and I could not be happier."

Kevin Federline was briefly considered to play himself in the latest "American Pie" movie, but then took a more humorous role -- as a Canadian border guard. Federline says, "They didn't want me playing myself. I think they thought it would be funnier for me as a Canadian border guard." Federline donned a wide-brimmed hat, brown uniform and shiny badges for a day of shooting in Vancouver for "American Pie Presents: The Book of Love," which will be released on DVD Dec. 22.

-- Anne Neville