Walter Koenig and his wife, Judy, abruptly left "Larry King Live" last night without explanation. The parents of the missing Andrew Koenig, aka Boner of "Growing Pains," were in their seats, communicating with producers about their interview in minutes, when all of a sudden they got up and left. Larry King' said of the Koenig's departure, "We checked them out, they were prepared to go on, I said 'hello,' they said 'hello.' We said we'd be on in two minutes, they said 'fine.' And they got up and left, for reasons unknown."
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Andrew Koenig's friend, Jenny Magenta, tells Us Weekly that she fears he may have taken his own life. "[T]here are a lot of classic signs -- things that he has done in the past couple months -- that point to the possibility that he’s taken his own life," she said. Koenig was said to have cleared out his Los Angeles apartment, having a 'yard sale' of sorts, and giving away many of his belongings. The friend also described Koenig as spending money while in Vancouver, which was uncharacteristic, as if he were trying to simply enjoy the last days of his life.
Magenta said that she awoke one morning to find a simple note of gratitude, and discovered he'd left while she was sleeping. Magenta also confirmed that Koenig's parents received a letter from their son which was "disturbing," and which prompted the call to police.
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Conan O'Brien has joined the ranks of celebrity tweeters, making his first Twitter posting yesterday. The ousted "Tonight Show" host tweeted, "Today I interviewed a squirrel in my backyard and then threw to commercial. Somebody help me." In 24 hours, Conan has nearly 230,000 followers, but no other tweets since. O'Brien is said to be considering a national stage tour, while waiting for another opportunity for a television talk show.
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Justin Bieber continues his meteoric rise to bubble gum pop stardom. Bieber has been announced as one of the performers for the Nickelodeon "Kid's Choice Awards," along with Rihanna. The Kid's Choice Awards air Mar 27.
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R&B singer Chris Brown is standing behind Tiger Woods, and says that the world's best golfer deserves a second chance. "I support him. I hope he gets back on the field and does his thing because he is the best at it. ... I know my fans gave me a second chance and people gave me a second chance." Brown compared his situation to Woods' saying, "Whatever his personal life is—and I think this goes for me and him—his personal life is his personal life. Nobody has the right to place judgment or make any judgment on somebody else's personal life when they're not directly involved with them."
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Mary Kate Olsen has split from boyfriend Nate Lowman, whom she had been dating since 2008, according to People. Olsen's rep confirmed the break-up, while Olsen is in London for Fashion Week. But sources tell the magazine that she wasn't moping about lost love, she was spotted getting cozy with actor Josh Hartnett. "They were making out in a dark corridor of the party," the source told the mag.
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Some "Idol" quick hits while we wait for some results:
• General Larry Platt is on his way to Vegas to play JET nightclub in the Mirage hotel tomorrow. Platt will perform his "Pants on the Ground." Sources tell TMZ that Platt will get " free food, lodging, several thousand dollars and, last but not least, a steak dinner!"
• The New York Times had a story Tuesday about the earning potential of "Idol" contestants that finish in the Top 5. The Times says that last year's winner, Kris Allen, has earned as much as $650,000 in his first year in the business. While emerging artists received $100,000 - 150,000 for a debut album, Allen was reported to have earned a $350,000 advance on his album. They also say other Top 5 contestants can earn as much as $100,000 from the tour, as well as appearances.
• TMZ says that Ellen Degeneres and Simon Cowell continue to annoy each other on the set of "American Idol." The site says that Ellen is annoyed with the cruelty of Simon's critiques, and Simon is said to be deliberately being extra harsh to contestants to get under Ellen's skin. Their animosity started during Hollywood week when Cowell arrived late to the taping, angering Ellen, who had juggled her schedule to work on "Idol." Producers have separated the two at the table -- at opposite ends -- because of the alleged growing animosity.
Speaking of "American Idol," join Anne Neville back here tonight as four contestants are dropped from the Top 24 during the first results show at 8 PM.
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