Pop Stand

Katherine Jackson filed a 'wrongful death' lawsuit yesterday in Los Angeles Superior Court against AEG Live for its part in the death of her son, pop icon Michael Jackson. Katherine Jackson filed the suit in her name, and the names of Michael's three children, against the concert promotion company arguing that they overworked the self-proclaimed King of Pop in the weeks leading up to the "This Is It" tour's opening. Jackson said in the suit that AEG Live is guilty of "putting its desire for massive profits" ahead of the health and welfare of her son. Furthermore, Jackson says that AEG was responsible for the doctor it hired -- albeit it at the late singer's behest -- and was negligent in its failure to provide the proper life-saving equipment needed to save his life when he went into cardiac arrest. Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest brought on by the inappropriate use of a powerful anesthetic plied by Dr. Conrad Murray as a sleeping aid. Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for his part of the case. Jackson's lawyer said of the suit, "The purpose of this lawsuit is to prove to the world the truth about what happened to Michael Jackson, once and for all." There are no specified damages claimed in the suit, which also seeks damages for emotional distress on behalf of Prince Michael Jackson, the oldest of the Jackson children, who witnessed the death of his father.

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Dr. Murray, meanwhile, has filed papers in response to the wrongful death suit against him filed by Joseph Jackson last month. Dr. Murray was named in the lawsuit by Joseph Jackson, with claims that he withheld information from emergency responders, as well as trying to hide evidence. Joseph Jackson also says that Murray attempted to get Michael to stop taking medications prescribed by other physicians and only take those prescribed by him, which makes him solely responsible for the overdose on propofol. But Murray says in his papers filed yesterday that Dr. Albert Klein, Jackson's plastic surgeon, was medicating the pop star as late as the week of his death, and that he shares in the blame.

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The cemetery where Michael Jackson is buried is now charging fans a service fee for leaving gifts for the late singer. TMZ reports that Forest Lawn in Glendale, Calif., has taken down the staging area outside the mausoleum where Jackson is buried, and now fans who want to leave flowers -- and only flowers -- in honor of Jackson must pay $3 for them to be placed inside the mausoleum. The cemetery also says that other gifts, such as candles, photos or teddy bears, would be disposed of when discovered by grounds workers.

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Basketball superstar Dwight Howard is seeking more than $500 million in damages from the mother of his two-year-old son. Howard says that ex-girlfriend Royce Reed has violated the terms of a 2009 gag order by spilling dirt to the media about the NBA star. Reed is a member of the cast of 'Basketball Wives' on the VH1 network, and Howard says that she has violated the terms of the order at least 11 times, which he said had the potential to reach as many as one-million readers each time. Using that logic, Howard says that Reed owes him $500,500,000. Reed's lawyer says that any information that has been "leaked" could have been culled from legal documents and would not constitute a violation of any court order.

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Country music singer LeAnn Rimes tells Shape magazine in a new interview about the cheating scandal that broke up her marriage. In the interview, Rimes says that her marriage to Dean Sheremet started out "great" but that they grew apart as a couple, the longer they were married, and that "it wasn't a fulfilling marriage for either of us."

Rimes says that she can understand why fans were shocked by the split. "I understand why people are disappointed in me, especially since I grew up as America's sweetheart. I think any relationship is hard to get out of, and I don't think the way I did it was right." Rimes has since moved in with boyfriend, actor Eddie Cibrian, whom she met while filming a movie. She said that she has learned from what happened, and tells the mag, "I know I can face anything."

Jennifer Lopez has reached a deal to be a judge on the 10th season of "American Idol" for a cool $12 million, sources say. A report on Deadline.com says Lopez was holding out for for movie and TV development deals, a larger "Idol" salary and the ability to have input on her fellow judges, but she finally settled for $12 million and no other provisions. "She’s very excited," a source close to Lopez says. Fox had no comment and a rep for Lopez did not return calls. TMZ reports that Lopez has signed a obe-year deal and will be present when auditions are taped next week. It looks as though Aerosmith's Steven Tyler will join her at the table; he has said officially that he will "probably" be a judge. Others rumored to be considered for the panel include Shania Twain, Harry Connick Jr., Elton John and Chris Isaak. Meanwhile, Fox sources say rumors that the the deal with Lopez had fallen apart due to her "diva demands" were being created and spread by "enemies" of "American Idol," perhaps competitors. • • •

Mel Gibson was spotted out and about in Los Angeles Monday in disguise, left. The normally clean-shaven actor was wearing a plaid shirt, a baseball cap, a pair of glasses with dark, heavy frames and a bushy gray mustache. It's the first time he's been spotted in public since his abusive, racist, sexist, threatening rage-filled phone conversations with his fomer mistress, Oksana Grigorieva, were made public. The two continue to battle over custody and financial support for their infant daughter, Lucia.

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Lady Gaga went through security on her way to catch a flight to LAX, but the most prominent feature of her scanty outfit -- a  set of handcuffs and chain -- was not deemed a threat to aviation security. Although after the 9/11 attacks nice years ago, nail clippers and knitting needles were confiscated, times have changed. A rep for the Transportation Security Administration told People that the prohibited items list is based on what experts assess and analyze as a threat. Handcuffs do not pose an immediate threat, said the rep, who refused to comment on her specific costume.

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Speaking of costumes, the third over-the-top outfit Gaga wore at Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards was, as it appeared, real meat, she explained to Ellen DeGeneres. The dress and boots were made of material that resembled strips of preserved meat, such as prosciutto, designed by Franc Fernandez. Gaga told DeGeneres, "Well, it’s certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian. I, as you know, am the most judgment-free human being on the earth. However, it has many interpretations, but for me this evening, if we don’t stand up for what we believe in, if we don’t fight for our rights, pretty soon we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones."

1980's pop star George Michael has been sentenced by a British court today to eight weeks in jail for driving under the influence of drugs.

Michael was arrested earlier this summer when he crashed his SUV into a storefront. Police determined that, at the time of the crash, Michael was under the influence of marijuana.

Michael pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and possession charges in August, and was banned from driving for six months.

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Oprah Winfrey surprised her studio audience with a trip of a lifetime during the first episode of her 25th and final season of her talk show. Winfrey has famously given away cars and trendy gifts to audience members at Christmastime with her "Oprah's Favorite Things," but now she's giving 300 of her "ultimate" fans a week-long trip to Australia.

The eight-day trip includes a flight from Hollywood star, John Travolta, who is a flying enthusiast and a Qantas pilot. "I wanted to kick off my 25th season in a big way and I've heard Australia is the ultimate adventure. It's one of the places I've always wanted to visit, and who better to take with me … than some of my most loyal viewers," Winfrey said of the giveaway.

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Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz have confirmed that they are expecting a baby. Rumors began to swirl after Cruz was spotted on the set of the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, looking to be in the early stages of pregnancy. Cruz's rep confirms that the actress is 4-1/2 months into her pregnancy.The Oscar-winning couple were married in July in a ceremony held at the home of a friend in the Bahamas. 

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Mel Gibson's ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, isn't giving up in her fight for more support from Gibson. TMZ reports that Grigorieva has dumped her lawyer, and hired a new one in her bitter dispute with Gibson. Grigorieva has hired Sorrell Trope, who has represented celebrity clients such as Anna Nicole Smith and Britney Spears. Grigorieva is still trying to up the current agreement she has with Gibson, which pays her $5,000 a month in child support, plus housing payments. 

Lindsay Lohan made her first public appearance Sunday night in the taped opening to the MTV Video Music Awards. Lohan, now a redhead, has been keeping a low profile since she was jailed and completed her stint in rehab. In the opening skit, host Chelsea Handler was shown backstage in a robe, preparing to take the stage, when she was confronted in the hall by Lohan, who asked her what was in the cup she was sipping from and why her ankle bracelet was going off. "Wake up, Handler!" Lohan said, pushing Handler against a wall. "You're a mess! Do you think anyone wants to work with a drunk? Take it from me, they don't," Lohan said sternly before sending Handler on her way with a butt-slap. Handler hit the stage wearing an entire house on her head and loosed a live dove from her costume. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga was an early winner, collecting best dance video and best female video for "Bad Romance," and best collaboration for her mini-epic "Telephone," featuring Beyonce. Gaga, who has the most VMA nominations ever, wore a poufy Victorian-inspired gown and a tall peacock-feather headdress atop a long white wig. She walked the white carpet, left, with with several former military personnel who had left the service because they were gay. Eminem won best male video for "Not Afraid," but after his opening with Rihanna, he had left to catch a flight to New York, where he had a show scheduled today.

The show contained references to last year's stage-storming, mic-grabbing interruption of Taylor Swift's win by Kanye West -- by the pair themselves. They separately took the stage to perform tunes that could be understood to be references to the incident. Swift, up first, started off in a large dark leather chair, playing a black guitar, as she sang a still-unnamed dark folk song. "Some things you can't speak of," she sang, "but tonight you live it all again. ... You have new Septembers," she sang. "Every one of us has messed up, too." West closed the show with his rap song, "Runaway," which included the lines, "Let's have a toast for the douchebags," he rapped. "Let's have a toast for the a------s. Let's have a toast for the scumbags. Let's have a toast for the jerk---s. Baby, I got a plan. Runaway fast as you can."

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Spencer Pratt was arrested on a felony charge of possession of a firearm in Costa Rica while he was on his way back to the U.S. Saturday, but apparently a felony in Costa Rico isn't very serious, because he was cited and released. Pratt said he was booked and processed at a local jail and later released after turning over the weapons and signing a confession. The arresting document from Costa Rica names Heidi Montag as Pratt's spouse and lists his occupation as "actor." In a strange statement, Pratt said, "As part of my spiritual cleansing I've spent the last week living alone in the jungle, reflecting on my past transgressions, and working to become a better person. I had to live off the land, and hunt to survive. As I departed the country this morning to continue my spiritual journey, I mistakenly brought my hunting weapons to the airport. It was an honest mistake, and they sent me on my way. On an unrelated note, I'm not allowed in the country anymore -- but that's because of the chicken incident."

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Volatile "Seinfeld" star Michael Richards is being sued by a photographer who says Kramer punched him, knocking him to the ground, and then kicked him when the two encountered each other on a Los Angeles street Aug. 25. In the suit, filed Friday in L.A. County Superior Court, photographer Brendon O'Neal claims Richards punched him in the face, knocked him to the ground, and then "proceeded to kick [O'Neal] numerous times, directing the blows to [O'Neal's] arms, hands, and camera." O'Neal claims he suffered "great mental, physical, and nervous pain and suffering," -- and is suing for damages, medical expenses and more. The lawsuit does not say whether the two knew each other or offer any reason for the attack.

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The family of "Balloon Boy" Falcon Heene has moved to Florida, reportedly leaving a ton of junk in their former Colorado house for the property owner to clear out. Despite the clutter, the Fort Collins house, from which the Heene family launched the balloon hoax, was hugely popular when it went on the market. Most people clamoring to see the attic where Falcon hid while his dad claimed he had been carried off in a silver homemade balloon. It has now been rented to a new family.

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They split up in August, but Miley Cyrus, 17, and her "The Last Song" costar, Liam Hemsworth, 20, have been spotted together in Los Angeles again and a source tells People they have resumed their relationship. Saturday, the two spent part of the day together at Cyrus's home in Toluca Lake, Calif., before running errands, picking up lunch to go at a Panera Bread and drinks at a Starbucks. "Miley and Liam kept smiling and seemed to really enjoy their afternoon together," an eyewitness. "They acted like they had missed each other, kept chatting and seemed to be catching up. They definitely seemed like a couple again." Cyrus has been in Europe filming "LOL: Laughing Out Loud." "Since Miley returned to L.A. from Europe earlier in the week, she has acted a bit tired and worn out," the witness says. "With Liam back in her life on Saturday, she acted totally different and, instead, seemed very happy. It looked like Miley and Liam had never been apart, and they were back into their old routine."

-- Anne Neville

In a satellite interview with CNN from Pakistan, where she has been photographed looking frail and thin, U.N. Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie admits that she lacks friends, and in fact talks only to her partner Brad Pitt about the pressures of her globetrotting campaigns. In response to a question from interviewer Sanjay Gupta about whether she can vent to friends, she said, "I'll talk to my family. I talk to Brad; he wants to know as much as he can about these issues and every trip. But I don't know, I don't have a lot of friends to talk to. He is really the only person I talk to." She then changed the subject to her children. "I tell my children why I'm going and I explain to them, why I was packing flashlights and food. They help me pack things. It helps them to be better people to understand a little bit about the world." Jolie is hoping to generate donations to the flood-ravaged country.

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Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi says the judge who denounced her as a "Lindsay Lohan wannabe" in court Wednesday was wrong, and he went overboard in his scolding. "I definitely thought it was harsh," she says. "I never drank and drove, I don't do drugs – I do nothing that Lindsay does, so it was definitely a little overboard." But she says, "I'm over it." Polizzi was fined $500, ordered to perform community service and called "rude, profane, obnoxious and self-indulgent" by Judge Damian G. Murray after Polizzi pleaded guilty to a charge of interfering with the enjoyment of the quiet use of the beach or public boardwalk; disorderly conduct and public nuisance charges were dropped. "I'm just really happy that it's over and that the criminal charge was dismissed because that was just insane," she says. "I was really nervous about it." Also upset at the judge's comparison are Lindsay's mother Dina and her attorney. Dina Lohan told TMZ, "The family is very disappointed that a judge would say that in a court of law." And Lindsay's atttorney Stephanie Ovadia added, "The comments were very unprofessional."

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Speaking of Lohan, she is reportedly in talks to appear on the Oprah show, her first interview since leaving jail and rehab. The final season of the Oprah show begins Monday. A source says Lohan, who has reportedly also considered doing her first interview with Matt Lauer on the "Today" show, is making progress toward a pact that would have her sitting down with Oprah. "Things are heating up in a good way," the source added. "Definitely some good conversations. We're crossing our fingers it works out for Oprah's last season." A source close to Lohan confirmed that the actress is considering the Oprah show, but said, "Several entities are being considered, and no decision has been made and won't be for awhile."

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Britney Spears' spokesman says Fernando Flores, the bodyguard who accused her of sexual harassment and mistreating her sons is an attention-seeking liar who fabricated the story for personal gain. "This lawsuit is another unfortunate situation where someone is trying to take advantage of the Spears family and make a name for himself," says a statement on Spears' official website. It continues: "The Department of Children and Family Services conducted a proper investigation surrounding Mr. Flores' accusations and have closed the case without any further action. Ms. Spears and her attorneys have every expectation that this matter will be dismissed by the courts." Flores, seen abive with Spears during the time he worked for her, has filed suit claiming that Spears traumatized him by repeatedly exposing herself to him in an attempt to seduce him. Kevin Federline, Spears' ex-husband and the father of her two sons, dismisses Flores' allegations that Spears had sex with other men in the presence of the boys.

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Upon his release from the hospital, where he was treated for severe back spasms, Hulk Hogan now says he will marry his girlfriend immediately. "Now that I've had that close encounter with the other side, I'm going to move the wedding up," he said, with his girlfriend, Jennifer McDaniel, at his side. The two have been together for nearly three years and have been engaged since December. Hogan repeated his story that his back went into spasm when he bent over to collect seashells on the beach.

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A woman who says Motley Crue singer Vince Neil roughed her up in an elevator at the Las Vegas Hilton Sept. 5 is being contradicted by a spokesman for the hotel. Jessica Radovicz filed a police report claiming Neil left her bruised after the brief encounter in the elevator, but a hotel rep says the ever-present cameras don't support her claim. He said, "After reviewing surveillance video and interviewing witnesses, we've concluded that her allegations against Vince Neil are completely unfounded. ... We also understand that the local authorities have deemed her allegations to be without merit.  Accordingly, we consider the matter closed."

-- Anne Neville

Reality TV star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi was fined $500 and ordered to perform community service Wednesday by a judge who also denounced her selfish, self-indulgent behavior. Polizzi, 22. a member of the ensemble cast of "Jersey Shore," pleaded guilty to being intoxicated in public July 30, when she stumbled around the Seaside Heights beach and boardwalk and swore at police who arrested her. Presiding Judge Damian G. Murray caled Polizzi a "Lindsay Lohan wannabe" and added, "Going through life rude, profane, obnoxious and self-indulgent – that's not the way you want to live your life. ... Hopefully this incident will impress upon you that there are consequences to your actions." Polizzi apologized to the police and beachgoers who saw her drunk, and said that her behavior was not scripted even though cameras for the MTV show were rolling at the time. Polizzi did receive credit for one day of community service that she spent caring for shelter animals.

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CNN has named "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan to replace Larry King. Morgan has been rumored for months to be King's replacement, even though King himself has said he'd like to see Ryan Seacrest take his chair. CNN President Jon Klein told the Associated Press that Morgan, who has been editor of the British tablods The News of the World and the Daily Mirror,  will "look at all aspects of the news with style and humor with an occasional good laugh in the process." Morgan will be headquartered in New York but will also work in Los Angeles and London. Some of his shows will be live and some will be taped, particularly when "America's Got Talent" is on the air in the summer. Morgan described his interview style as "a mixture of probing journalistic rigor with a twinkle in the eye and a little bit of mischief, not afraid to have fun where it's appropriate."

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Susan Boyle left "America's Got Talent" and Los Angeles after singer-songwriter Lou Reed refused to give her permission to perform his song, "Perfect Day," on the show. Sources connected to the show tell TMZ that Reed, the former lead singer for The Velvet Underground, who is most famous for "Walk on the Wild Side" denied permission because he isn't a fan of Boyle, the frumpy woman with the angelic voice. Boyle reportedly dissolved into tears and fled the studio when she heard the news and was still weeping when she showed up at LAX to catch a flight home. "America's Got Talent" refused to comment.

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The former bodyguard who alleged that Britney Spears made unwanted sexual advances toward him and beat one of her boys with his belt has filed suit against her in Los Angeles. Fernando Flores says Spears repeatedly exposed herself to him in her home, once calling him to her room while she was naked. The suit claims, "After an awkward silence during which [Britney] just stood naked before [Flores], [Flores] asked Spears if she needed anything. After some hesitation, Spears asked [Flores] to get her two bottles of 7 Up." The suit also alleges, "In addition to exposing herself to [Flores], Spears engaged in numerous sex acts in front of [Flores]."  There's also an allegation Britney was "loudly having sexual relations" in a hotel suite where her kids were present.  The suit does not say if the kids saw anything. Flores also says Spears once demanded Flores' belt, then used it to "savagely hit the small child [Preston]" with it. He also claims that Spears fed her sons crabmeat although they were allergic to fish, making them violently ill. TMZ has been told that Flores shared his allegation with the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services, which reportedly investigated and found the complaint had no merit.

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The woman who worked as a nanny for Anna Nicole Smith's infant daughter before her mother died in 2007 says Smith's manager, Howard K. Stern, and two doctors gave Smith "medicine" that impaired her ability to walk or talk and made her act "drunk." Quethlie Alexie said she saw Stern and psychiatrist Khristine Eroshevich bring Smith into a bathroom with Stern saying, "Baby, come and we'll take our medicine." Smith emerged from the bathroom "like, drunk," Alexie testified through a Creole interpreter. "She was unable to walk, falling, and was unable to handle her talking. She would laugh." Alexie said Smith would also nod off in the middle of speaking. Stern, Eroshevich and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor are on trial for giving Smith many of prescription drugs found in her body after her death in February 2007 at age 39.

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Katie Holmes says she and Tom Cruise may add a second child to the family, but not right away. "Maybe in a couple of years, but right now I want to make sure I'm really there for Suri," Holmes, 31, told Marie Claire in an interview published in its October issue. "I'm the youngest in my family – my closest sister is five years older than me, and the next one is nine years ahead of me, so I was a bit of an only child, and I liked it!" she adds. "I liked having all of my mom's attention, and sometimes I think I still do." Holmes says being married to Cruise is "really exciting. ... Tom's as big at home as he is on the movie screen. He's so passionate about everything, whatever he's doing. When he's being a dad, he's right there; he's giving it his all. It's inspiring and it's fun. It's an amazing life, but we always remind ourselves of how incredibly lucky we are." Her new movie, "The Romantics," opens Friday.

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Speaking of Suri, Holmes said during an appearance on "Live with Regis and Kelly" that she takes the 4-year-old fashionista's advice on what she should wear. "Suri's very helpful," Holmes said. "I go to her and I say, 'What shoes?' and she picks them out. Many times I'll be getting ready for an event or something and I'll say, 'Suri, what do you think?' And she's like, 'Definitely those!' And she won't let me leave unless I'm wearing what she wants me to wear." But Holmes also says that although the family often travels for work, she makes sure Suri does her chores. She says: "We travel a lot, and so for me, it's keeping a daily schedule for Suri that never changes. We wake up, and we do the same thing. She does her chores. She has to make her bed, she has to take her dishes to the sink, she has to put her clothes in the laundry -- you know, that basic stuff."

-- Anne Neville

Deputy James Mee, who arrested Mel Gibson for DUI in 2006 and then became the target of Gibson's anti-Semitic rant, is suing the county of Los Angeles, claiming that he was the victim of retaliation. Mee claims he was "unjustly denied" a promotion -- the result of "religious discrimination and retaliation for plaintiff's religion and his report of anti-Semitic remarks" by Gibson, who served as a sheriff's department celebrity spokesman. Mee says in the suit that he wrote a police report documenting Gibson's tirade because they "clearly revealed religious discrimination by a known spokesperson for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, as well as show the level of toxicity of Mr. Gibson." But Mee's supervisors ordered him to rewrite the report, deleting the slurs. After the original first four pages of Mee's report were leaked to TMZ, Mee alleges he was targeted as the source, although he says other non-Jewish deputies had access to the original four pages. Mee says he was interrogated and given a negative job review. Sheriff's spokesperson Steve Whitmore tells TMZ, "We are looking forward to telling the whole story and the whole story is not being told in this lawsuit.  Ethnicity and gender have nothing to do with any of this.  An investigation was launched by the Sheriff's Department to try and discover who was leaking official documents without authorization. That is a crime."

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Niecy Nash took to Twitter to reveal that she and Jay Tucker, her boyfriend of a year, are engaged. The "Clean House" host says Tucker popped the question over the weekend. "I was asked a VERY important question," she tweeted, before posting a series of photos of the moment. Her former "Dancing with the Stars" partner Louis van Amstel happened to be present for a house party and the engagement. "I couldn't contain how happy I was!!!! I said 'yes'!!!!! So amazing…" Nash added.

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A Las Vegas jail official has defended the special treatment that got Paris Hilton out of jail quickly after she was arrested for cocaine possession Aug. 27. Hilton's three-hour stay at the Clark County Detention Center was five to 21 hours shorter than that of a non-celebrity booked for the same offense, says Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Deputy Chief Jim Dixon, who runs the detention center. "Yeah, she was treated differently so I don't have a disruption of my process here at the county jail," Dixon admitted to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "When you bring somebody in like that, everybody comes over and tries to look at them. I'd have officers attempting to keep inmates away from her. I'd have disruptions." Dixon said Hilton "was moved along out of the general area and put in isolation where nobody can actually get to her." He said leaving her with other inmates "wouldn't be fair to her. It wouldn't be fair to my officers. It wouldn't be fair to the other inmates ... To put Paris Hilton in an open dorm area with male inmates and female inmates would shut down my process." She was moved to and from several rooms during her brief jail stay, including an isolation room, or "drunk tank," and a sergeant's office. Hilton is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 27 on the cocaine-possession charge.

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This weekend went a lot better than last weekend for Hilton and boyfriend Cy Waits, who spent the holiday on the beach in Maui. Waits, who was fired from his job at the Wynn hotel after his arrest, had plenty of time to vacation now. Hilton had offers to host Labor Day parties in Vegas, NYC and Miami, but she chose to vacation instead. "While they've been in Maui, they've been surfing, scuba diving, zip-lining and horseback riding," a source told People. "Cy is very into his health, working out and doing outdoor activities. Paris loves this new way of life." The source also said that even after Hilton returns to the mainland Thursday, she plans to keep a low profile. "She's not going to the VMAs or Fashion Week," a source said. "She's distancing herself from her old party friends and focusing on her career and her love life."

-- Anne Neville

Extortion charges against a Bahamian senator and a paramedic who treated John Travolta's son while he was dying were dropped Monday at the request of the Travolta family. Former Bahamian Senator Pleasant Bridgewater and her client, Tarino Lightbourn, were charged with trying to extort $25 million from Travolta in return for not releasing a copy of the "Refusal to Transport" document that Travolta signed on Jan. 2, 2009, the day his son Jett died after having a seizure at their vacation home in Freeport. Travolta testified in the case last year, but the trial ended in a mistrial. In a statement to the court, Travolta said he had "concluded that it was in my family's best interest for me not to voluntarily return to the Bahamas to testify a second time at trial. ... Almost a year later, the long pending status of this matter continued to take a heavy emotional toll on my family, causing us to conclude that it was finally time to put this matter behind us." Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston, left, are expecting a baby, a younger brother for their daughter Ella Bleu,10. The retrial was scheduled to begin Monday. Lightbourne would not comment on the case, but said he likes the actor. "I'm a Travolta fan," he says. "I will always be a Travolta fan. My favorite movie is 'Grease.'"

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Playboy Playmate Karissa Shannon is threatening to sue Spencer Pratt over a sex tape of Shannon with her ex-boyfriend, which Shannon alleges Pratt stole from her home. In a letter to Pratt, Shannon's attorney charges that he has footage that "contains private materials" featuring, among others, Shannon and boyfriend Sam Jones. The attorney demands that Pratt return the footage immediately, and provide Shannon's attorney with a list of all the people to whom Pratt has shown the films. Some of the footage might include the previously reported sex tape that featured Shannon and Pratt's ex-wife, Heidi Montag.

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Hulk Hogan, who has had several spinal surgeries in the past, was taken to the hospital Monday after suffering what a source told TMZ was "excruciating back pain." Hogan was reportedly in pain for several days and woke at 3 a.m. Monday with his back in spasm, unable to get out of bed. His girlfriend called an ambulance and Hogan was taken to a hospital near his home in Clearwater, Fla., where tests were reportedly being done Monday. Hogan took the time to post a video to update his fans from his hospital bed, in which he said that the spasm was unrelated to his most recent back surgery in May.

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Joe Jackson says spankings and other corporal punishments kept his kids -- including Michael -- out of gangs. In the interview done for a movie that will be co-produced by Jackson's wife, Katherine, the family patriarch responds to criticism Michael made of his heavy-handed parenting style. Joe says, "I had to be like that because when raising him, in those days, so many gangs out there getting into trouble, going to jail. Most of them are dead now. He didn't have to worry about that." Joe adds that he had no regrets for the way he raised his children. "They tried to make a big issue when I spanked Michael or some of the kids, ya know? Just like they didn't spank their kids when they did wrong. The media twists everything."

-- Anne Neville

Things just keep getting worse for Paris Hilton. On Thursday, a Miami judge ruled in favor of a film distributor that sued Hilton in 2008, alleging that she failed to fulfill her obligations to promote the DVD-only comedy "Pledge This!" in which she played a snobby sorority president. Worldwide Entertainment Group alleged in its suit that Hilton collected a $1 million fee and agreed to make the full publicity rounds, but then canceled interviews with U.K. and Russian publications. Worldwide Entertainment said Hilton's actions cost them $8.3 million. U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno said Hilton probably owes the company about $160,000, but he wants to review the contract in more detail before finalizing the amount. Hilton's rep had no immediate comment, but she's been busy lately.

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Speaking of which -- the excuse she used when she was arrested a week ago for having cocaine in the Chanel purse she was carrying -- that it wasn't her purse -- seems to be unraveling. The purse that she was carrying at her arrest, which contained the drugs, looks identical to the black purse with silver studs she photographed and showed off on her Twitter page July 15 under the headline: "Love my new Chanel purse I got today :)." But whether it was her handbag or not doesn't matter, a Las Vegas police spokesman told EOnline. "She's being charged with possession, so it doesn't matter if it's hers or someone else's," Officer Jay Rivera told E! News. "She's the person in possession of it, so it doesn't matter."

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The on-again, off-again deal for Jennifer Lopez to join "American Idol" is said to be on again. Sources tell TMZ that the agreement for her to join the judges' panel is very close to being signed and contrary to some news reports, there has been no drama or diva demands. "It's been typical negotiating," the source said. If there are no last-minute problems, which TMZ calls "highly unlikely," Lopez could sign a contract as early as next week. "Idol" sources say producers believe J-Lo is the key to re-energizing the show.

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Axl Rose and Guns N' Roses stormed off stage in Dublin Wednesday night after people in the audience refused to stop throwing liquid-filled plastic bottles onto the stage after an ultimatum.Twenty minutes into the concert at the O2 arena, after several bottles hit the stage and the rowdy crowd shouted abuse at the band, Rose stopped mid-song and said, "All right, here's the deal. One more bottle, we go home. It's up to you. We would like to stay. You want us to stay? We want to stay. We want to have some fun. You want to have fun? If you don't want to have fun, all you gotta do is let us know, and we got no problem, we'll go on our way." When the missiles resumed after the band began to play, Rose said, "Have a good evening," and led Guns N' Roses offstage. After an hour delay, during which many audience members left, the band returned, as required by contract, and finished its set, ending the concert around 1 a.m. Promoters and O2 issued a statement defending the band: "No artist should be subjected to missiles and unknown substances being thrown at them."

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A day after her representative denied she had suffered complications endangering her pregnancy, singer Celine Dion's photo appeared on the cover of Canada's 7 Jours (7 Days) magazine. In the family portrait, left, which includes husband Rene Angelil, their 9-year-old son Rene-Charles and their dog Charlie, Dion, 42, looks healthy. She is expecting twin boys in November, which were conceived during the couple's sixth try at in-vitro fertilization.

-- Anne Neville

Paris Hilton has been banned by one Las Vegas mogul over her weekend arrest on cocaine charges. Steve Wynn, who owns the Wynn and Encore resorts in Vegas, has put Hilton on his black list of people not welcome at his properties. Hilton's boyfriend, Cy Waits, who also was arrested on drug charges that night, was a promoter at Wynn's properties and has since been let go from the company.

Rumors in Vegas also suggest that Hilton may have nuked her lucrative 'pay-to-party' market with the arrest. Hilton, among other celebrities, regularly are paid by nightclub owners to make appearances at their establishments to give them buzz. Now with the arrest, one insider tells People, "Because Vegas nightclubs are under so much scrutiny right now, I don't know how welcome she would be. ... Considering she's busted for cocaine, people might assume that she's going to the club either to use coke or she's already on coke, and no club wants to be associated with that."

But even with all of that negativity, Hilton is still welcome at one place in Vegas... The Vegas Hilton. "She has been a guest here many, many times and we would always welcome her back," the resort spokesman said. "The history between Paris and this property is long, indeed."

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Newlyweds -- rapper T.I. and his wife, Tameka -- were arrested in Los Angeles yesterday on drug charges. E! News reports that police smelled marijuana smoke coming from the windows of their vehicle. TMZ has photos of the arrest, which also involved a search of their vehicle and the discovery of another controlled substance. They were booked, and bail was set at $10,000 for each of them. T.I. -- real name Clifford Joseph Harris -- is currently on parole for a 2008 weapons charge, and this bust may mean a return to prison. 

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Robert Halderman -- the man who extorted David Letterman -- has been released from prison after serving four months. Halderman pleaded guilty in March to an attempted grand larceny in the second degree charge and was sentenced to six months in prison. Halderman received two months credit for good behavior, but he also has 5 years probation and 1,000 hours of community service ahead of him. Halderman was a producer for a CBS news magazine show when he attempted to extort $2 million from Letterman, in return for keeping the lid on extramarital affairs Letterman. 

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Celine Dion is disputing reports from a French tabloid that she was rushed to a hospital with pregnancy complications. Dion is currently pregnant with twins, due in November, and her rep calls the tabloid report "completely fabricated." Dion's rep says that the singer has gained 33 pounds during her pregnancy, and is continuing acupuncture treatments, which she credits for helping with maintaining her pregnancy. "She's never been in the hospital – her pregnancy continues to be healthy and she feels fantastic," the rep said.

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Ashton Kutcher is talking lawsuit on his Twitter account after a report in Star magazine claims that the actor was caught cheating on his wife, Demi Moore. The tabloid story suggests that their 15-year age difference is finally becoming an issue for the couple, and that Kutcher was spotted with another woman at an L.A. restaurant. But Kutcher vehemently denies the report on his Twitter account, tweeting "I think Star magazine calling me a 'cheater' qualifies as defamation of character. I hope my lawyer agrees. ...  STAR magazine - you don't get to stand behind 'freedom of the press' when you are writing fiction."