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Friday, November 5, 2010

Rihanna Mourns Shannon Tavarez
By Tim Nudd

Rihanna is grieving the death of Shannon Tavarez, the 11-year-old Broadway singer whom the pop star befriended during Tavarez's long fight against leukemia.

"Just got off of a plane ride and got horrible news that our little star Shannon Tavarez has lost her battle against leukemia!" Rihanna wrote on Twitter late Tuesday. "Way too soon ... keep her family in your prayers."

Tavarez, who died Monday after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, is being remembered as a talented and selfless girl who wanted to help others in her position even as her own health failed.

RELATED: Shannon Tavarez Dies


Her mother, Odiney Brown, reacted to the outpouring of support, saying in a statement: "Shannon's strength and her happy, positive spirit will live on in our hearts and minds each day. Shannon's dream was to perform on stage, and that she did."

Brown added: "It is our hope that Shannon's legacy will continue to inspire other brave children battling leukemia. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers."

The Minskoff Theatre in New York, where Tavarez performed in The Lion King before being diagnosed last April, dimmed its lights Tuesday night in honor of its fallen star.






Permalink | Filed Under: Tributes, Rihanna, Shannon Tavarez
Prince Albert's Fiancée's Gift from Monaco: Jealousy
By Peter Mikelbank and Stephen M. Silverman



It hardly sounds like a warm welcome: In the time Charlene Wittstock, who is Prince Albert's fiancée, has been in Monaco, she has encountered envy and made only a couple of friends, she confesses.

"The people I mixed with in Monaco didn't relate to my South African mentality or humor," the Rhodesia-born Olympic backstroke swimmer tells England's Tatler magazine in its December cover story.

"Of course I've been subject to jealousy, but that comes with the territory," she says. "Although I have met some wonderful people since I've been living in Monaco, I regard them all as acquaintances. I only have two people I consider friends here."

Among the trials and tribulations Wittstock, 32, has encountered in her decade of knowing and dating (and, four months ago, becoming engaged to) the 52-year-old son of Prince Rainer and former screen queen Grace Kelly, was the fashion mistake she made at the August 2006 Red Cross Ball – when she arrived in a green, sequined halter-top gown.

The press dubbed her "Albert's Mermaid." Says Wittstock today, "I was used to living in a swimsuit and totally clueless about fashion."

And, in her own defense, she adds, "The day of the ball, I had been playing volleyball all day on the beach and didn't think about getting ready until late in the afternoon. I borrowed a green dress from a friend, fixed my hair myself and painted my nails red. I looked like a Christmas tree."

Set to marry next July, Wittstock expresses a hope she can use her influence to help modernize the 900-year-old principality, and would like to see Monaco finally have a Manolo Blahnik boutique and a Starbucks.
Miley Cyrus Is Not Taking Sides in Her Parents' Divorce
By Marisa Laudadio

Miley Cyrus won't get in the middle of her parents' divorce.

"Miley is not taking any sides on this. She has been upset recently," a source close to the singer tells PEOPLE.

"She's trying to keep everything private while her family works through this," the source says.

RELATED: Billy Ray Cyrus Seeks Joint Custody of Children


In divorce papers filed by Billy Ray Cyrus on Oct. 26, the country singer seeks to share custody of the three minor children he has with wife Tish: Miley, who turns 18 on Nov. 23; Braison, 16; and Noah, 10. (The pair also have two older children Trace, 21, and Brandi, 23).

Tish, 43, headed to Nashville from her L.A. home earlier this week, while Billy Ray, 49, was in Indianapolis on Monday night to sing the national anthem for the NFL's Monday Night Football Colts vs. Texans game.

Next up for Miley: a trip to Madrid this week in anticipation of her performance at MTV's European Music Awards on Sunday.

• Reporting by MICHELLE TAN








Permalink | Filed Under: Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus
Kelly Osbourne: Dancing Helped Me Become a Size 2
By Tim Nudd




For Kelly Osbourne, Dancing With the Stars wasn't just a performance competition. It was a gateway to a whole new approach to looking and feeling good, culminating in an upcoming Shape magazine cover in which poses in a bikini.

Osbourne, 26, the season 9 runner-up, transformed her body after the show was over, and is now a size 2. Returning to the program this week for its 200th episode, she credited viewers, and her old dance partner Louis van Amstel, for the change.

"Louis van Amstel and Dancing With the Stars changed my life, and as cheesy and cliché as that sounds, America had a hugest part in that," she tells Access Hollywood.

RELATED: Kelly Osbourne Reveals the Secret Behind Her Slim Figure


"By picking up the phone and voting for me every week, and all the amazing things they said, [they] gave me the confidence to keep going at something that I was so scared and so terrified to do."

Osbourne says she cried when she saw her bikini photos in Shape. "It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster because I never thought that would be me or I'd ever look like that," she says.

As for this season of DWTS, it's probably no surprise that Osbourne is rooting for the underdog. "I love Bristol [Palin]," she says. "I think she's what the show is all about. She puts her heart into what she's doing; there's such vulnerability in her, and she gets up there every week by herself and does it."






Permalink | Filed Under: , Dancing With the Stars, Bodywatch, Kelly Osbourne
Christina Aguilera Says Women Can 'Have it All'
By Sara Hammel




Don't mess with Christina Aguilera.

The singer, who filed for divorce from her husband Jordan Bratman last month, says women are often more powerful than they think.

"Every woman has the ability or the drive to do it all and have it all," Aguilera tells Redbook in its December issue.

"Men aren't as strong and capable as we are," she says. "We're machines."

RELATED: Christina Aguilera Shows Off Her Sexy Curves


Although Aguilera, 29, is going through a painful split, she says her son Max, who turns 3 in January, is always a priority as she negotiates motherhood and her career.

"My life is cyclical," she says. "First it's album time, then it's touring time. I'm not a 9-to-5 woman who has the same kind of lifestyle for years on end. I couldn't do it. I need the spontaneity, that thrill of change."

"This is what the cards have in store for Max," she says. "We put it into his brain early on that he's a traveling guy. He adapts well when we go from hotel to hotel."

Her pal and fellow mom Nicole Richie thinks her friend is very dedicated.

"It's very clear through Christina's music what a strong woman she is," Richie says. "But to watch her as a mother only sky-rockets the respect I have for her … Her dedication to Max is incredible."






Permalink | Filed Under: Christina Aguilera
Harry Potter Blamed for India's Owl Crisis
By Stephen M. Silverman



It appears someone really does give a hoot. India has a strange new problem, and Harry Potter – and his snowy white owl sidekick, Hedwig – may be partly to blame.

"Following Harry Potter, there seems to be a strange fascination even among the urban middle classes for presenting their children with owls," India's Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told the BBC, while calling for protective measures for the species.

Ramesh's observation about owls as household pets was made simultaneous to a report from the wildlife group Traffic that warned of the subcontinent's dwindling owl population.

To make matters worse, owls and their body parts are said be used in black magic rituals.

As evidence of the demand for owls as domestic creatures, another animal-rescue group, Wildlife SOS, told the Sify news service in India that it is receiving several calls from people asking if owls can be kept as pets.

Responds Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder of Wildlife SOS, "Owls are commonly poached for black magic. But, yes, people have become curious after reading Harry Potter books, where mystical energy of owls has been shown."

As a result, says Abrar Ahmed, a wildlife expert, "The illegal trade in owls runs undercover and there is a strong network."

RELATED: Harry Potter Dons a Bra in New Trailer







Permalink | Filed Under: Harry Potter
Oprah Meets Her Teenage Crush: the Jackson 5's Jackie Jackson
By
Dahvi Shira





One of Oprah Winfrey's childhood dreams recently came true.

The talk show host, 56, was surprised by her longtime crush – Jackie Jackson of the Jackson 5 – while filming a segment for her Teen Heartthrobs episode.

Jackson, who popped up behind Winfrey unexpectedly at her desk with flowers while she was working and had no makeup on, says he was excited to make her dreams come true.

FIRST LOOK: Shaun Cassidy Performs on Oprah Winfrey's Teen Heartthrobs Special


"It's been 10 or 12 years that she's been talking about me on her show, saying I was her favorite Jackson – I was her heartthrob," Jackson, 59, tells PEOPLE.

"My sister was on Oprah's show, and she came back and said, 'Oprah is in love with you. When she was a teenager, she had your pictures plastered all over her walls everywhere, and she thought she was going to marry you.'"

Added Jackson, "She looked up and saw me, and starts screaming. She couldn't believe it was me."

Jackson's appearance on Winfrey's show after a long haitus from the spotlight, is not the last you'll hear from him this year. He just released his first single since 1989 called "We Know What's Going On," and he's also releasing a Jackson 5 clothing line called J5 Collection.

The episode – which airs Thursday – features appearances and performances by additional teen heartthrobs of years past, including Shaun Cassidy (pictured), Peter Frampton and the Backstreet Boys, who were joined by ex-bandmate Kevin Richardson for a one-time reunion.



Permalink | Filed Under: TV News, Jackie Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Shaun Cassidy

Demi Lovato's Parents Thank Fans for Their Kindness
By Sharon Cotliar

As Demi Lovato focuses on getting better after checking into a treatment center to address "emotional and physical issues" that have plagued her much of her life, her parents are taking a moment to thank her fans for standing by their daughter.

"Our entire family appreciates the outpouring of support we have received from Demi's fans," Eddie and Dianna De La Garza tell PEOPLE. "We are touched by their kindness."

The 18-year-old Disney Channel star is currently receiving treatment an an undisclosed center.

RELATED: Disney Supports Demi Lovato's Decision to Seek Treatment


"Demi is not receiving care at one of the Hollywood-type centers," said a source close to the family. "She is at a real facility that specializes in helping adolescent and adult women with the type of issues she has battled."

According to the source, the teen star "has fought through eating disorders and has struggled with cutting," a form of self-harm. "She has a long history of battling these issues."

In deciding to leave the Jonas Brothers's world tour, the family source said, "Demi is taking control by getting help."

RELATED: A Fight Sent Demi Lovato to Rehab




Permalink | Filed Under: Health, Demi Lovato

Dancing With the Stars

Cheryl Burke Calls Rick Fox Elimination Dancing's 'Most Shocking'
By Dahvi Shira

can relate to Audrina Patridge and Tony Dovolani.

Only one week after Patridge and Dovolani's jaw-dropping elimination on Dancing with the Stars, Burke and Fox experienced what they considered a premature departure from the show.

"This is the most shocking elimination I've ever been through out of all ten seasons," Burke told reporters backstage immediately following Tuesday's show. "That just shows you that you really need to vote. At the end of the day, no one's really safe."

But Burke and Fox, who landed in a higher spot than both Kyle Massey and Bristol Palin on Monday night, have no regrets. "We did the best we could do," Burke told PEOPLE. "There's nothing I would take back. It was his best night. It was our best night. It's better to leave like this, though – just to go out on top."

As for Fox, he, too, is disappointed about leaving the show.

"I'm going to miss coming here and being with the other contestants and the dancers and hanging out with them," he said. "This made me a stronger person. It made my relationships stronger across the board."
What You Didn't See
• Anna Trebunskaya didn't chat with musical guest Taylor Swift after her performance, but she did sneak in a photo with Rod Stewart, who also sang Tuesday night. "My mom's going to freak out," Trebunskaya told PEOPLE. "She's probably going to be jealous she didn't come to tonight's show."

• While Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Louis Van Amstel and Derek Hough had their old school dos on display Tuesday night, Chmerkovskiy's partner Brandy teased him. "I was laughing at him," Brandy told PEOPLE. "I was like, 'Dude, that's how you looked?' " Hough, who says he misses his own longer locks, agrees with Brandy about Chmerkovskiy's former look, calling it "frightening."

• Swift made the day for screaming tweens after two performances on Tuesday. As soon as the show went to commercial, Swift greeted groups of fans by shouting hello and waving. As audience members whispered compliments to the singer as she passed by while walking to the stage, she graciously said, "Thank you so much," with a big smile.




Permalink | Filed Under: , Dancing With the Stars, Cheryl Burke, Rick Fox
Gwyneth Paltrow to Serenade Glee Viewers with the 'F' Word


Gwyneth Paltrow is stepping out of her Country Strong territory and into the profanity-filled realm of hip-hop.

The actress, 38, will appear on Glee and sing a version of Cee Lo Green's catchy hit, "F--- You," Entertainment Weekly confirms.

The silly song about a bitter ex-boyfriend features the lyrics, "Yeah, I'm sorry, I can't afford a Ferrari ... I guess he's an Xbox and I'm more Atari."

Paltrow will sing the radio edit of the song, which is titled, "Forget You."
– Dahvi Shira




Permalink | Filed Under: Glee, Gwyneth Paltrow
Demi Lovato: Details of the Fight that Sent Her to Treatment
By Sharon Cotliar

What really caused Demi Lovato to enter treatment?

The catalyst was a fight between the 18-year-old Disney Channel star and a dancer on the Jonas Brothers world tour, but the problem started the night before, a source close to the singer's family tells PEOPLE.

"As she did on most nights off, Demi invited her band, dancers and her parents to dinner," says the source. "Afterward, she broke off with a very small group."

The following day, tour managers and Lovato's stepfather, Eddie De La Garza, questioned the group's conduct. According to a source close to the situation, the group had been partying.

"When tour management found out about this, they talked to the people involved, including Demi," says the source. "Demi reacted badly and perceived that someone on tour had told on her."

RELATED: Demi Lovato's Parents Thank Fans for Their Kindness


When Lovato and other tour members were on an airplane that same day, Lovato confronted a young dancer, whom she thought might have been the one to blame for telling on her. "There was a short, physical altercation," says the source, adding that it was "one-sided."

"Afterwards, Demi felt awful about her behavior and realized she needed to take personal responsibility for it," says the family source. "Because of this, and because of the battles Demi has fought throughout her life, both she and her family realized she needed to take steps to get help immediately."

The singer-actress "decided to seek medical care for her physical and emotional issues at a treatment center," says the source, adding, "she is not in drug rehab."

Contrary to published reports, Twilight star Ashley Greene, who is dating Lovato's ex-boyfriend Joe Jonas, "played no role in this," says a source close to the situation. Nor did the Jonas Brothers. "They were not involved in the incident," says another source.

Adds a rep for Greene, "There was never an issue between Ashley and Demi, and there is no truth to any rumors about a conflict."

• With reporting by ANNE MARIE CRUZ

RELATED: Disney Supports Demi Lovato's Decision to Seek Treatment




Permalink | Filed Under: Demi Lovato
Céline Dion: We Thought We Were Having Triplets
By Dahvi Shira

Céline Dion and her hubby René Angélil are overjoyed about the birth of their twin boys, Eddy and Nelson, but before they were born, there was also some heartbreak.

"For about a week, we thought we had triplets, but sadly on the next visit to the doctor's, we only heard two heartbeats," Dion, 42, tells Hello! magazine in its current issue.

"That little baby decided to leave the space for the two others and to say goodbye to us," she says. "It happened very early during the pregnancy, but still, it shocks you."

RELATED: Céline Dion Names Her Twins Eddy and Nelson


But now Dion says she's currently in a good place. "[Motherhood] is going well," she says. "I don't get a lot of sleep ... For sure I'm tired, but that's what I want. And it's only for the first month or so."

Dion says even though her little ones were just born, they're already demonstrating character.

"One is more gutsy than the other," she says. "Nelson seems to have a little stronger personality right now. He's the tougher of the two."

Dion continues, "They are fraternal twins, but they look very alike. Nelson weighed more at the birth, but the doctor told us in a week or two, they're going to be the same."

RELATED: Céline Dion and Twins Head Home from Hospital






Permalink | Filed Under: Babies, Celine Dion
Andy Irons's Family Mourns 'Beloved Husband'
By Stephen M. Silverman

Expressing their thanks to friends and fans, Andy Irons's family issued a statement Wednesday, a day after the three-time world surfing champion from Kauai was found dead.

The family is requesting privacy, "they said, so their focus can remain on one another during this time of profound loss."

Irons, who was 32, leaves behind a pregnant wife, Lyndie Dupuis, who is due to give birth to the couple's first child next month.

The family statement, part of a tribute on the ASP World Tour Web site, added, "The world of surfing mourns an incredibly sad loss today with the news that Hawaii's Andy Irons has died. Andy was a beloved husband and a true champion."

RELATED: Andy Irons Dies


Irons was discovered dead Tuesday morning in his room at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport's Grand Hyatt Hotel in Grapevine, Texas, along with the prescription medications alprazolam and zolpidem on the bedside dresser table, according to a Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Police report, according to the Dallas Morning News.

An autopsy was performed Wednesday in Texas, but it is expected to take up to three months for the Tarrant County medical examiner to have the results of toxicology reports and determine the cause of death.

Alprazolam is known under its brand name of Xanax, used to treat anxiety disorders. Zolpidem's brand name is Ambien, which is prescribed for insomnia.

His family said Irons was battling dengue fever, an illness that can be fatal if not treated properly. The surfer was returning from Puerto Rico, where he had withdrawn from the 2010 Rip Curl Pro Search.

"A complete postmortem examination ... was essentially negative for trauma, and foul play is not suspected," the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office said in a statement Wednesday. "Both the cause and manner of death are pending completion of postmortem laboratory studies."
Carrie Underwood & Mike Fisher Put Babies on Hold
By Tim Nudd

She only just got married, but already Carrie Underwood is getting grilled about the next big milestone with husband Mike Fisher.

"Whenever you're dating someone, it's like, 'When are they getting married? When are they getting married?' " the country star, 27, tells ET Canada. "As soon as you get married, [it's], 'When are you having babies?' "

The short answer: Not very soon.

RELATED: Carrie Underwood Says Pup Ace Makes Her Happy 'Every Single Second'


"We are not planning on it for a while," Underwood says. "We both want to enjoying being married. I don't think it would be fair to our kid to bring a child into our lives right now. We both need to slow down first, and we don't want to right now."

Not that things always work out as planned, of course. "You never know what God has in store, and you can make all the plans you want to," she says. "But at the end of the day, whatever's going to happen is going to happen."

For now, married life is going wonderfully, even with the cultural differences between herself and her handsome Canadian hockey-player husband, 30. "I'm Southern, small town, and we do things differently," she says. "But it's nice. If I married someone like me, that would be no fun."

And Canada has welcomed the Oklahoma native warmly. "Everyone has been super wonderful, and everyone has opened their arms to me, in Ottawa and his home town of Peterborough," she says. "It's been a lot of fun."

For more on Underwood, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE Country, on newsstands now

PHOTOS: Carrie Underwood's Style Secrets
Nick Swisher: Fiancée Joanna Garcia Is No Bridezilla
By Melody Chiu and Sara Hammel

Now that baseball season is over, New York Yankees star Nick Swisher and Joanna Garcia are deep in wedding planning mode, but Swisher insists no one is getting out of control.

"I don't understand," the athlete tells PEOPLE. "Why would you get all upset about one of the greatest days you could have in your life? Jo's done such a tremendous job; she asks me for my opinion [and] I give it to her."

"If she doesn't pick what I like," he says, "I'm cool with that."

Garcia, 31, star of ABC's Better with You, announced her engagement to Swisher, 29, last May. Swisher is currently "team captain" of the Art of Shaving team for the Money for Movember campaign, which seeks to raise money for cancer research.

PHOTOS: Hollywood Brides-to-Be!


Now, the Yankee says he can't wait for his wedding day and is speaking up about what he wants as the big day approaches.

"The planning is going amazing," Swisher says. "I've sat in on every bit of it. I know exactly what's going to happen. I'm just really, really excited for the day to get here."

Other than good food and "all of our family and friends," Swisher says the couple doesn't have a wedding theme. But he is confident that his bride will be a knockout.

"I know she's going to look like an angel on that day," Swisher says, "and I can't wait to see her."

"I think for the first time in my life, I have a woman who I could not be more proud of," he adds. "We do such a great job really pushing the other one to do better and I think that's what you have to have."

Adds the baseball star: "My old man told me a long time ago you need to marry your best friend, and I think that's exactly what I'm doing."
Jessica Alba: It's Tough
Being So Good Looking
By Dahvi Shira Jessica Alba is a bonafide sex symbol, but that doesn't mean she enjoys being everyone's focus.

"I don't like being the center of attention," Alba says in the December issue of Elle magazine.

The actress, 29, considers herself "shy," but says because of her acting career, she's been able to break out of her shell. "When I do comedy, I lose all inhibition and introspection," she explains. "I no longer care."

PHOTOS: Jessica Alba's Summer of Good Eatin'


Along with being shy, Alba has also felt insecure. "I'd been so afraid of criticism ever since I was young," she says. "Every time I'd get a critique or some redirection, I'd always just take it very personally."

Finally coming to terms with her fear, Alba says, "Now I have no problem with it."

Along with her new-found confi
dence, Alba no longer settles for roles, but now feels comfortable standing up for the ones she believes are worth her time.

"The time I'm not spending with my kid has to be worth it, so when I sat down with my agents after I was ready to go back to work, I told them: It's all about the directors."

PHOTOS: See how the trendy trio of actress Jessica Alba, Cash Warren and Honor Marie has grown!

Emma Watson: American Bagels Are 'The Best Thing Ever!'


Emma Watson is a famous actress worth millions, but these days it's the simple things that excite her.

"Bagels – they're the best thing ever! Americans just love variety; there's so much choice, it's overwhelming," the actress/student, 20, tells Parade. "But I love trying the blueberry and raisin and cinnamon bagels. Luckily, I exercise a lot."

It's not just bagels the British star, now a sophomore at Brown University, flips for since hitting this side of the pond. She finds mundane things more thrilling than the average person might after having spent years on film sets with people "telling me what to do."
American Idol
Jennifer Lopez to Idol Contestants: Don't Try to Sing My Songs






Note to contestants hoping to impress American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez: Don't sing her songs.

"It was cute, super entertaining and flattering, but no," the pop diva said of contestants who failed to make it through Thursday's round of auditions in Los Angeles by performing one of her hits.

"They know we're not out to cut them down or make a joke of them," she said. "We're trying to mentor them to the next step."

And so far – after visiting seven cities – Lopez says they've found 15 to 20 "real superstars who could be recording artists for sure," adding that the judges have seen "a lot of great country [singers]."






Permalink | Filed Under: , American Idol, Jennifer Lopez

Camp Rockers Speak Out on "Demi Drama": "She's Just a Normal Teenage Girl"


While Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez remain curiously silent on Demi Lovato's situation, not all of the starlet's peers are mum about her decision to get treatment—or on what possibly led her to seek it out in the first place.

And on at least one point, her costars seem to agree: Demi was a pro. But the stress she was under—and it would have been considerable for anyone, let alone her 18-year-old self—occasionally led to some peculiar on-set behavior.

"Someone in her position, she's a role model. I can see it being way too much for somebody that's 18 or 19 years old," Camp Rock 2 costar Shaun Shetty told E! News.

But while Shetty didn't go into detail, he acknowledged that the set wasn't always an oasis of calm, and hinted that the nickname "Demi Drama" might not have been completely unwarranted.


"I'll admit there were some times she seemed a little...I'd use the word high maintenance," he said. "But I could definitely see it, especially with the people who worked a lot with her on the movie...I could see it as a possibility."

All the same, the news of Demi's foray into treatment for "physical and emotional issues" came as a surprise to Shetty, who said that Lovato always "just seemed like she had everything going for her. It didn't seem like she had any worries, any problems. If there were something going on at the time, she did an amazing job covering it up."

A source close to the star has admitted that she has struggled with personal demons.

"Demi has a long history of battling these issues," the insider tells E! News. "She was bullied in school, has fought through eating disorders, and has struggled with cutting. This has been a lifetime struggle, and Demi is taking control by reaching out for help."

But while that's true, Shetty at least said that he never personally witnessed any destructive behavior from the show's star.

At mealtimes, while most of the cast would eat together, Lovato would disappear, presumably, Shetty said, to eat alone. She also had something of a penchant for piling on bracelets, though Shetty made clear that he never saw any cut marks under the bands.

Fellow Camp Rock 2 costar Kevin Krouglow had a similar story.

While Krouglow said he was familiar with the rumors about Lovato's past (she herself has been quite vocal about her untenable victimization by bullies), he said that all the negative stories he heard about his costar came "from secondary sources" and were never witnessed firsthand.

"I've read she used to be a cutter and was bullied as a kid, dealing with low self-esteem," he told E! News. "I know that on set she had bracelets perhaps to cover her wrists for that reason. But most of this I heard from secondary sources."

Still, despite what he heard through the grapevine, Krouglow said the news of her seeking treatment nevertheless came as a shock.

"She seemed incredibly full of life and in great spirits," he said. "It's actually really surprising and sad that someone so beautiful, talented and successful would have... whatever it is that she's dealing with."

However, not everyone from the production, which filmed from August to November 2009, seems to have been so well-versed in her alleged behavior.

MORE: Are Disney stars even allowed to get in trouble?

Singer and dancer George Anderson told E! News, "I never saw anything like that. I worked with her for over two months."

Anderson said Demi was nothing but sweet to everyone on the production and slammed reports indicating anything otherwise.

"After a week together she opened up and we all became like family," he said. "She is such a hard worker and just a normal teenage girl.

"Her mom was there a lot with her and was always on set; they have a good relationship and are very close. She is also really close with her bodyguard, so any of this would be surprising."

In addition to the support of her costars, fans and the Disney Channel, her parents, too, have released a statement backing their daughter's decision.

"Our entire family appreciates the outpouring of support we have received from Demi's fans," Eddie and Dianna De La Garza told People.

"We are touched by their kindness."

PHOTOS: Demi Lovato leads the charge of what's big on Twitter

Movie Review: For Colored Girls Thrives on Top-Notch Performances


Review in a Hurry: A veritable who's-who of A-list African-American actresses (Janet Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg) populates For Colored Girls, and their performances keep this highly theatrical script from suffocating the big screen.

The Bigger Picture: Playwright Ntozake Shange got audiences to sit up and listen to the female black perspective with her 1974 play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf. More of a tone poem layered with dance and music, it's been boiled down to film form by director Tyler Perry and a hall-of-fame cast.

Some of the situations are extremely intense—rape, murder, disease—but the point Shange was making at the time was revolutionary: Female victimhood should no longer be a dirty secret. Her poetry allowed victims of all sorts to release their hurt and, ultimately, find power in this freedom.

Fast-forward to 2010, and this subject matter, executed so broadly—for a while Perry rarely moves the camera, there is little subtlety to the script—makes the movie one big public service announcement. Yet, thanks to the skillful acting, it works.

Perry tells the tale through several disparate women, all crisscrossing paths from one scene to the next, brought together by the common experience of being a woman, being black and trying to be happy. Crystal (Kimberly Elise) is the obedient assistant of ice-cold magazine editor Jo (Jackson); she lives in the same apartment building as lost soul Tangie (Thandie Newton), whose sister Nyla (Tessa Thompson) is struggling with a secret that could ruin her future...and so on. The women's experiences seamlessly intertwine as the plot thickens.

The wisdom of the script (adapted for the screen by Perry) is in its accessibility. Shange's characters represent a cross section of class and culture, but they all have the same challenges: negotiating the treacherous landscape of protecting and developing their power and sexuality, surmounting obstacles both everyday and extraordinary.

Perry rarely lets his characters sink to pity, letting the steely strength of his players shine in long, steady close-ups. Seldom do actresses of this caliber get this kind of material; standouts include Elise as a suffering young mother and Newton as a wild child learning to find her center. Phylicia Rashad has a quieter but powerful role as the den mother figure and becomes the heart of the movie.

The 180—a Second Opinion: Perry kept some of the poetic cadence of the play, each character lapsing into at least one long monologue. This is a tough sell, constantly slowing the film down with a lack of action while the players spout forth with soul-baring speeches that might leave some audience members glancing at their watches.

Kellan Lutz: "He's Happy Being Single," Says Pal

Kellan Lutz is single and ready to mingle.

The Twilight hunk isn't letting his recent breakup with AnnaLynne McCord get him down…

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"He's happy being single," a pal says.

Asked if he's jumped back into the dating game, the friend says, "Nope. He's just having a good time."

As our cohorts over at the Awful Truth told ya earlier this week, the 90210 starlet may already have a new beau, model Aaron O'Connell.

Lutz hit last night's L.A. premiere of 127 Hours. No surprise, but the usually gregarious Calvin Klein underwear model skipped doing any press interviews.

But man, oh, man singlehood is treating him well. "He was yummy yummy yummy," says a fellow premiere guest.

Lutz's rep declined to comment on his personal life.

He heads to Louisiana at the end of the month to start shooting the Breaking Dawn movies.

Storm Chasers Star Commits Suicide

He lived an extreme life. He died a shocking death.

Matt Hughes, one of the meteorologist stars of Discovery's Storm Chasers, passed away on May 26 in Wichita, Kans., "due to an injury unrelated to his chasing activities," the cable channel said in a statement today. He was 30.

Discovery made the surprise announcement of Hughes' death at the end of last night's episode, titled "Dedication," which featured Hughes' final chase and was dedicated to his memory.

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"Everyone involved in Storm Chasers mourn[s] the loss of their friend and colleague," the network's statement said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Matt's family, and we ask fans to kindly respect their privacy."

According to local authorities, Hughes committed suicide months ago.

"The cause of death was hanging," Amanda Matthews, spokeswoman for Cedgwick County Forensic Science Center, confirmed to E! News today.

"[First Responders] did an external exam and the individual was resuscitated. I don't have info of length of stay in hospital but autopsy date was May 27."

Local police received a call about a suicide attempt at Hughes' residence and found him still alive and breathing. He was transported to a nearby hospital but died nearly two weeks later.

In a June 7 blog post on Wichita's KAKE-TV site, colleague and pal Aaron Blaser recounted what happened.

"I spent quite a bit of time bouncing from work to the hospital and back again...hoping for the best, comforting others, but several days later, after serious complications arose, I knew we were going to lose him," Blaser wrote. "What a lot of us didn't know was that he suffered from depression."

He added that a funeral had been held that was attended by 500 people.

During his final appearance on the show, Hughes took the reins on what would be his "best tornado intercept ever," said team leader Sean Casey.

Hughes is survived by his wife, Kendra, and two young sons, Hunter and Collin, and Discovery has set up a memorial fund to benefit the family.

Meet the Girl at Center of Demi Lovato Breakdown

The dancer allegedly involved in a scuffle with Demi Lovato has been identified.

E! News has learned that the young woman involved in the altercation with the Disney star was Alex Welch, and she has quite the résumé.

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The 21-year-old hoofer, who goes by the stage name B Girl Shorty, is well known in L.A. dance circles. She appeared in Justin Bieber's "Somebody to Love" video and has danced for Miley Cyrus and Pink, appeared in Step Up 2 and was part of the runner-up team on season three of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew. She is still in South America with the Jonas Brothers.

Attempts to reach Welch and her reps were unsuccessful.

Lovato's camp, meanwhile, has no comment on either the identity of the girl or the altercation itself.

Without specifically naming the victim, a Lovato insider tells E! News that Demi confronted the backup dancer last Saturday in an altercation that led to Demi entering a treatment facility for unspecified "issues."

The source says that Lovato believed the dancer had "ratted [Demi] out" about her partying to the Jonases' dad, Kevin.

A second eyewitness tells E! News that B Girl "did not hit her back, was totally clueless."

How Cliché! Bad Girls Club Member Arrested


Catya Washington's bio on Oxygen's website says she "has a way of getting whatever she wants, whenever she wants."

Well, that's for the police to figure out now.

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The Bad Girls Club: Miami vixen was arrested Wednesday by Pennsylvania State Police on suspicion of drug and gun possession. Per TMZ, her bail was set at $500,000 and she's due in court on Nov. 22.

According to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, officers found cocaine, mushrooms, Ecstasy and a gun on Washington, whose Bad Girls nickname was "the Elite Player" before she voluntarily left the house earlier this season.

Her reason for storming out? She thought she was too "high class" to degrade herself like her fellow roomies.

Meanwhile, Oxygen just announced plans for a sixth season of degradation in Los Angeles.

LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian Engaged!


Eddie Cibrian is going to make an honest woman out of LeAnn Rimes.

Though it didn't happen on Halloween, the recently divorced actor indeed popped the question recently and the duo are engaged, a source tells E! News.

So no wonder Brandi Glanville wants to have a civil sit-down with her kids' future stepmom...

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Glanville, who has two children with Cibrian, told E! News today that she planned to meet with her sworn enemy pal-in-the-making next week.

Rimes and Cibrian controversially hooked up last year after starring together in the TV movie Northern Lights. They fought off rumors that they were an adulterous item for months until Cibrian filed for divorce from Glanville that August and Rimes moved to detach herself from her hubby of seven years, Dean Sheremet, barely a week later.

Rimes took quite a bit of heat for shedding her innocent popster image, and apparently it's not easy to forgive or forget: Readers actually complained about Shape putting her on the cover just weeks ago.

"You had two couples whose marriages didn't work who really stumbled upon each other and fell in love," she said in an interview with ABC News that aired yesterday.

"Nothing I'm going to say is going to change it," she says. "I do know that, and I have accepted that…but I do know how much I love him. So I've always said I don't live my life with regret. I can't."

But at least now she can live with a nice, new ring.

A rep for Rimes had no comment.

Next James Bond Finally Bankrolled



Bond, back on.

MGM has delighted Ian Flemingites everywhere by striking a deal that will allow the 23rd James Bond film to start shooting in time for a November 2012 release.

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The financially strapped studio, which filed for bankruptcy yesterday, told Bloomberg News that a partner with a 50 percent stake in the twenty-threequel will foot all the production costs but that MGM hopes to get full ownership back with subsequent Bond flicks.

Shop talk is almost as exciting as an Aston Martin going 100 mph, right?

Whether Bond 23's previously attached director, Sam Mendes, is still on board to helm a script that was supposed to be penned by Peter Morgan remains to be seen.

Daniel Craig, not having to suit up for MI6 just yet, went and signed up for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo—and its two sequels—along with The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn and the thriller Dream House.

Incidentally, MGM is also looking for a third party to cover its $265 million-plus obligation for The Hobbit, which starts shooting in New Zealand in February.

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Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo Engaged (Don't Cry, Jess!)


Nick Lachey has moved on, alright. So far on he's got the altar in sight.

Despite a brief split last summer, the onetime Newlyweds star is engaged to Vanessa Minnillo, E! News confirmed Thursday.

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"We're excited and incredibly happy about our engagement and we look forward to a wonderful future together," the couple said in a statement.

Advice for the happy couple, who started seeing each other in 2006: Steer clear of reality shows.

There's no word yet from the camp of Lachey's ex-wife, one Jessica Simpson. While the pop star hasn't had the easiest time of it since their 2005 breakup, she appears to be in a positive relationship at last with retired NFL player Eric Johnson.

And all was civil when the two couples ended up at the same L.A. restaurant—the gods were smiling on the paparazzi that day—a couple weeks ago.

"Hey all. If anyone's heard the rumors of my engagement, they are absolutely true!" Lachey tweeted this afternoon. "Vanessa and I couldn't be happier. Thanks for all the love."

Housewives Star to Car Thieves: You Should Have Kept My Bentley!


Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa VanderPump has some advice for the thieves who not only stole her Bentley earlier this year, but totaled it by sending it over a cliff.

Sure, she's not happy about it, but not exactly for the reasons you would think.

Believe it or not, but she just told E! News…

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"I don't mind if you stole the car, but then keep it," the Baywatch Nights alum and now restaurateur said. "In this economy, don't drive it off a cliff."

Um, OK.

Shortly after the luxury car was stolen on Feb. 5, police found it crashed off of Mulholland Drive, not far from the home she has in a ritzy gated community. "It was annoying because there was stuff in the trunk, and they stole it," VanderPump said. "I had some nice blankets and things in there."

And yes, this was same Bentley that was discovered just hours after Charlie Sheen's mangled Mercedes was found in a nearby ravine.

The embattled actor also had items taken from his garage. "They stole some of his DVDs and dumped them in a construction site about a mile away," Van Nuys Detective Ron Stilz told E! News.

And no, they were not adult-themed videos. "They were mostly Two and a Half Men DVDs and some movies Charlie had done," Stilz said.

And for those who may not remember, thieves struck again in June, driving off with another one of Sheen's Mercedes (like the first time, the actor had left his keys in the car). They apparently used a credit card from Sheen's car to buy gas, and then—ready for this?—drove to VanderPump's gated community. "They came to the guard tower here in my neighborhood and inquired about me," VanderPump said.

The reality star doesn't think she was being personally targeted, but theorizes that it had become more like a game of dare for the thieves.

Stilz said police believe the thefts are related. "It's a very hard case to prove," he said. "Not impossible, but hard. Nobody knows who did it at this point."

Foul Play Not Suspected in Bachelorette Guy's Tragic Death


Julien Hug doesn't appear to have been a victim of a crime, according to authorities.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department said Thursday that it is handling the season-five Bachelorette contestant's death as an "investigation where no foul play is suspected."

But that doesn't make the circumstances of his demise any less sad.

Hug was discovered yesterday in the San Bernardino National Forest, but was in such a remote area that authorities had to wait overnight for a helicopter to transport his remains, according to the sheriff's statement.

His car was found on a forest service access road, and airborne rescuers later "located a deceased male in a remote area that was inaccessible to ground personnel."

It will be up to the county coroner to determine official cause of death.

Hug's father said that he was on his way from San Diego to help out in the family's new restaurant in Palm Desert, but never arrived, prompting them to file a missing person report.


Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b209666_foul_play_not_suspected_in_bachelorette.html#ixzz383XdU5Cz

Milla Jovovich


Milla Jovovich: Celebrity fashion hits

Milla Jovovich hits the red carpet in a stunning scarlet Temperley dress at the 14th annual Hollywood Awards Gala in LA on 25 October.