Pop Stand

Amid lurid allegations that talk show veteran Larry King may have had an affair with his wife's younger sister and that she may have acted inappropriately with her sons' Little League coach comes some truly shocking  news -- King reportedly didn't have a prenup when he tied the knot with Shawn Southwick, his eighth marriage, nearly 13 years ago. A source close to the situation told TMZ, "She is a tall, good-looking blonde and that pretty much explains it." Larry's net worth is estimated at $144 million, and his CNN contract is said to be worth $56 million over four years. In California, without a prenup, earnings accumulated during a marriage are split 50/50. The pair have two young sons, Chance and Cannon, seen at left with their parents in 2007.

TMZ is reporting that the last straw for Shawn Southwick was her recent discovery that King had continued to give expensive gifts to her sister, Shannon Engemann, although King and Southwick had argued over the unsisterly gifting for some five years and King promised he would stop. The gifts included jewelry from Cartier, including a diamond necklace, and a $160,000 car. Southwick has apparently hired celebrity divorce attorney Joe Mannnis, but Robert Kaufman, another attorney who handled the divorces of Jennifer Aniston,  Rupert Murdoch and Mel Gibson, was photographed paying her a visit Thursday.

Tattooed stripper Michelle "Bombshell" McGee says, "I am not a homewrecker," and blames former lover Jesse James for the public backlash against her. "It's hard to be the most hated person in America," McGee said in an interview with E!News. "It's easy to target someone who looks different." McGee says, "I don't believe I destroyed their marriage. Jesse destroyed his marriage. My message to Jesse would be, 'If you were honest to me up front...we wouldn't be in this situation.'" To Sandra Bullock, McGee says, "I'm sorry this all happened. I want to apologize for her hurt and embarrassment. I'm sorry this went public." As for the public hatred of her, McGee says, "I knew I was going to get some kind of backlash—this was America's sweetheart" But then she adds, "[But] I would do it again."

Bret Michaels is out of the hospital after Monday's emergency appendectomy and is recovering at a private facility that specializes in the rehabilitation of diabetic patients. In a statement to People, his spokesman said, "While the surgery went well and doctors are optimistic that the rocker will make a full recovery, the fact that he was exhausted due to his rigorous schedule prior to the surgery and coupled with the fact that he has diabetes, the surgery has taken its toll." The rocker, 47, who currently appears on "Celebrity Apprentice," is also in the middle of an extensive North American tour.

Mama Kate has spoken: "I'm not afraid I'll lose my kids," Gosselin tells People in this week's issue. "I won't lose my kids. We're glued together, as a package, and nothing, nothing, will stop me from being with my kids." She's busy, what with her new book, "I Just Want You to Know: Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith and Family," and continuing to compete on "Dancing with the Stars." But the mother of eight says ex-husband Jon Gosselin will not get full custody of the kids from her. "Don't mess with me when it comes to my kids," she says. "You are never, ever going to win."  Jon's attorney argues that Kate is not spending enough time with her children because of her work demands, and, in addition to full custody, wants a re-evaluation of the $21,000 in monthly support payments he must make. Kate is opposing those moves, but wishes Jon well so he can help the family. She says, "I want nothing more than for [Jon] to set up a stable life for himself, so that he can be part of making our kids' lives more stable."

Paris Hilton's rep confirms that the professional party girl is single again. Hilton and her boyfriend of more than a year, Doug Reinhard, broke up "weeks ago," the rep said. "The relationship between Paris and Doug is over. She broke up with him more than two weeks ago." lationship between Paris and Doug is over. She broke up with him more than two weeks ago." The two had been dating for some 14 months -- their second go-round. They split once before and then reconciled. Hilton and her family, including grandfather Barron, went out on the town Wednesday, and her parents, Rick and Kathy, were heard telling their daughter how "relieved" they are that she's broken up with Reinhardt. E!News reports that "one major, ongoing issue between the two" was the reality show for which Reinhardt has already shot the pilot. "He was trying to force Paris into doing his reality show and that caused an argument," an insider says. "She has her own show going on."

-- Anne Neville