Hospitalized actress Bridget Fonda is "fine" after her horrific car crash yesterday - when her car flipped in the air and landed on its roof. The Single White Female star crashed her silver Jaguar in north Los Angeles Thursday night. Onlookers report Fonda lost control of the vehicle before it span up into the air, eventually coming to a rest on its roof. Incredibly, Fonda escaped with minor cuts and bruises from the wreckage and was taken directly to the UCLA Medical Center in nearby Westwood. Her agent described the incident as "not a serious accident" and reassured fans that Fonda would be "fine."

Hollywood star John Travolta is ruining his glittering silver screen career with outrageous salary demands. The Pulp Fiction star, who suffered many years in the showbiz wilderness after his early career faltered, is infuriating studio executives with his over-the-top demands and in the process is estranging himself from powerful allies. And since the Grease star has made little impression at the box office in recent years, insiders predict he could find himself tossed off of the A list. A source tells gossip site Pagesix.Com, "He was attached to this script called The Outlaws. It is a really good western - very well-written - about these two New York lawyers in 1899 who move to Wyoming. (But no studio wanted the picture because) John insisted on the wacky salary. He wanted $23 million, plus $4 million in expenses. It is insane. He thinks he can get paid like this huge A-list star when he hasn't made a decent movie in years. It's not like Pulp Fiction came out yesterday."

American chat show king David Letterman will remain off air for the foreseeable future after contracting shingles in his right eye. The wise-cracking interviewer took his first ever unscheduled sick-day in 21 years on Wednesday and is now set to remain off work for some time. Louis Aronne of New York Presbyterian Hospital says, "Tests have shown that Dave's eye infection is a result of shingles. It has been treated, and the area of inflammation has gone down significantly. Dave is on his way to a full recovery." Guest Bruce Willis filled in for the absent Letterman on short notice on Wednesday. Tennis champ John McEnroe sat behind the desk Thursday night and Regis Philbin asked the questions Friday. And a source at the show thinks the idea of getting guests to fill in is a great idea. He says, "They thought, why not? They already had guests booked, and they thought they would take a crack at a show." The show was due to take a break next week, but it is not yet clear whether Letterman will be back in his chair for March 10 as planned.

Work on the latest Mad Max film has been halted due to a possible conflict with Iraq. The fourth installment of the action franchise - Fury Road - was set to start filming in Namibia in July, but cautious Fox executives want to wait until the Middle East situation has calmed before the project goes ahead. Chairman Jim Gianopulos says, "Any time you do a show like this, it is a massive undertaking with enormous prep time. In this case, it is about the movement of huge vehicles and a mass of people, and with the pending war and all the potential logistical consequences, we had the latitude to wait and let some of this stuff blow over before going into full-bore production." Both original star Mel Gibson and director George Miller are signed to do the picture and are determined to film the blockbuster in Namibia. A release date of summer 2004 is in place but will be adapted according to when the production can get underway.

The Sopranos kingpin James Gandolfini has demanded a massive 50 per cent pay rise to return for a fifth series. Gandolfini, who plays mob boss Tony Soprano in the massively successful American TV series, is reportedly seeking a renegotiated fee $750,000 per episode. British tabloid The Daily Star claims Gandolfini wants to redress the disparity between the relatively meager $375,000 he pockets per episode and the pay check of $1 million certain members of the cast of Friends reportedly receive. A source explains, "He wants to be paid in line with the rest of the industry." And the extra cash is sure to come in handy for the Italian American. He has been left with $3 million in legal bills after finalizing his divorce two months ago.

British star Kate Winslet is considering taking to the London stage - as magical film nanny Mary Poppins. The Titanic actress is in talks with theater impresario Cameron Mackintosh about the role in the upcoming show. Winslet first became interested in the project when Richard Eyre - who directed her in the Oscar-nominated Iris - announced he would be directing. However, it is thought that the prospect of having to commit to the project for six months is causing the actress to have doubts. Eyre is already working on the production and it is thought rehearsals will start next January and will open later in the year.

Gay movie veteran Sir Ian McKellen has split from his toyboy lover just two months after announcing he had 'wed' the New Zealander after an intimate ring-exchange ceremony. Friends of the couple claim sexy Greg Nickels - who he met on the set of Lord Of The Rings in New Zealand - upset the British thespian after he was spotted flirting with women behind McKellen's back. The actor says, "It has unfortunately come to an end. It was another attempt to get in contact with real life. I'm not unhappy living on my own. I don't feel like a failure."

Pop superstar Madonna has sparked further speculation over the state of her marriage, after she was spotted in Beverly Hills, California, with a black eye. On February 4, an eyewitness saw the Music singer, wife of director Guy Ritchie, getting out of her black Mercedes 600 with the bruise. Wearing a blue cap with a long brim, 44-year-old Madonna slowly exited her car and walked into a clinic like a woman in pain, says the onlooker. The bruise remained highly visible when the star was seen out in Beverly Hills again riding her bicycle 12 days later. The injury has Madonna's pals asking questions about her fiery relationship with Ritchie, father of her two-year-old son Rocco. A friend tells American tabloid the Star, "I know from talking to them that they have major fights about everything. Guy has a temper and a jealous streak. I'm sure Madonna knows how to push all his buttons. She doesn't stand back and act submissive. She gets right in his face. Maybe she got too close this time? Madonna and Guy's marriage is so volatile at times that it's unbelievable they're still together. Let's just say their fights often reach fever pitch. They do have their good times, but they seem to be fighting more and more. Their battles go on sometimes for days. When they're arguing, which can happen at any time, anywhere, you'd better get out of the way."

Great White singer Jack Russell is seeking immunity from prosecution following the tragic fire at a Rhode Island nightclub last week. The frontman has been approached by a Grand Jury, which is investigating the incident at The Station nightspot, which resulted in the death of 96 people. But he has only agreed to testify if he is assured no prosecution will be brought against him. Since the horrifying incident, caused by pyrotechnics, on February 20, which claimed the life of guitarist Ty Longley, both the band and the club have blamed each other. Great White tour manager Daniel Biechele's attorney Thomas Briody says he had met with Station representatives before the gig and insists they told him the use of pyrotechnics was encouraged. A claim the club denies. Briody says, "Any suggestion that Great White did not have permission to display pyrotechnics is simply false."

Irish rocker Bono has slammed British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his support of President George W. Bush's hardline stance on Iraq. The U2 star conceded that Blair was acting out of moral conviction but insists the leader is gravely wrong. Speaking Friday after receiving the insignia of a Knight of the Legion of Honor in Paris from French President Jacques Chirac, Bono says, "In my opinion Tony Blair is a great politician. His convictions about Iraq are sincere, but for me he is sincerely wrong." Bono added that it would be a mistake to make a martyr of Saddam Hussein through the use of force: "He's good at propaganda. Let's not make it easier for him."

Fans of George Clooney have the chance to the chance to see their hero in action on the basketball court - if they rent or buy the DVD of his 2002 comedy Welcome To Collinwood. Clooney and his co-stars challenged the crew on the movie to a game of basketball in between takes, and the match was caught on camera. The actor, who also produced the movie, was so happy with his performance on the court he had no qualms about releasing a snippet of the game on the DVD. But the piece chosen shows Clooney, tattooed for the movie, taking a tumble and falling under a trailer. Just months after Clooney wrapped on the film, he took a tumble during a basketball game with friends and ripped his Achilles heel.

Frank Sinatra's daughter Nancy Sinatra has slammed Elizabeth Taylor after the screen legend's accusation that Ol' Blue Eyes refused to help homosexuals in the fight against AIDS. The 71-year-old Cleopatra star triggered the feud when she attacked the singer - who died in 1998 aged 82 - on a recent TV show, accusing Sinatra and his pals of shunning the first AIDS benefit she organized 20 years ago. Liz told CNN talk show host Larry King, "We rented a room in Beverly Hills and called every celebrity in town. Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, most of them hung up on us. These were people who worked with dancers and people who were obviously gay." Liz noted that Sinatra, in particular, turned her down, telling her, "We don't want to get involved with making that statement." But These Boots Were Made For Walking singer Nancy, 60, has knocked the claims, ranting, "I'm sure that had my father been able to help, he would have done so. The fact that he raised over a billion dollars for charities worldwide speaks for itself." Family friend Artie Funair adds, "Anyone who says that Frank Sinatra refused to help people is nothing more than a liar. As for Taylor insinuating that Frank didn't help people if they were gay, that's a total lie. There were plenty of people who worked with Frank over his career who were gay and occasionally met hard times. But he never turned his back on them. He was always happy to do whatever he could do to help others."