28 April 2008
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'Brothers & Sisters' and 'Ugly Betty' Reign Over GLAAD Awards

Hit TV shows Brothers & Sisters and Ugly Betty repeated their success at the 2008 Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Awards on Saturday by scooping the same top awards as last year. Brothers & Sisters, which stars Sally Field and Calista Flockhart, won the prize for Outstanding Drama Series, while the America Ferrera-starring Ugly Betty was named Outstanding Comedy Series for the second consecutive year. R&B superstar Janet Jackson received the Vanguard Award in recognition of her efforts to promote equal rights, and singer Rufus Wainwright was presented with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award. Meanwhile, comedienne Kathy Griffin won the award for Outstanding Reality Program for her TV show My Life On The D-List. The 19th annual GLAAD Awards, which took place at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, honor individuals and projects in the media for their representations of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
Winehouse Released With Police Caution

Troubled pop star Amy Winehouse has been cautioned by British police after confessing to allegations of assault. The hitmaker, 24, is reported to have head-butted a man outside a pub in Camden, north London in the early hours of Wednesday, after a boozy night out. Winehouse was arrested on suspicion of assault on Friday when she voluntarily turned herself in to authorities at London's Holborn Police Station to be quizzed about the incident. She was held in custody overnight after a doctor ruled she was "in no fit state" to be questioned. But, after explaining her actions to police on Saturday morning, she was released without charge. In a statement, the star's spokesman says, "Amy Winehouse was questioned this morning at a London police station in connection to an incident in Camden in the early hours of April 23, 2008. She admitted to a common assault by slapping a man with an open hand and accepted a caution. Amy was fully co-operative with inquiries and apologized for the incident. She thanked the police for their professional handling of the matter. There will be no further action taken. Amy is looking forward to continuing her work on new music in the studio." The caution means that although Winehouse escaped any formal prosecution, the incident will remain on record and could count against her if she faces any similar allegations in the future.
Prince Steals the Show at Coachella

Pop superstar Prince stole the show at the Coachella Festival in California on Saturday night, turning the event into one big party as he thrilled fans with two encores. The singer strutted onstage at just after 11pm, dressed in an all-white ensemble complete with glittery fringe, and played up to the 60,000-strong crowd's screams, declaring, "Coachella, I am here!" After telling the desert audience, "You are the coolest place on earth right now!" he wasted no time in launching into his set, with his band striking up the chords to "Jungle Love" as singer Morris Day appeared onstage, while Prince showed off his skills on the guitar. He continued to let his fingers do the talking as he rocked out on the guitar, welcoming Sheila E to sing another track, before jamming with him on the drums. Later on in his set, Prince treated the packed crowd to his hits "1999" and "Little Red Corvette" before stunning fans by pulling off the biggest surprise of the night - a unique cover of Radiohead's "Creep," with an added guitar solo and extended falsetto.
Snipes Requests New Jersey Prison
Wesley Snipes has requested he be allowed to serve his three-year prison sentence at a facility near his New Jersey home. The Blade actor was handed the term by Florida judge Judge William Terrell Hodges after he was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years. His legal team have asked the judge and prison officials to house him in a federal prison as close to his home as possible - and officials have vowed to accommodate his wishes. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson Felicia Ponce says, "We try to house inmates within 500 miles of their residence so they can maintain ties with their family and community."
William Baldwin Slams Brother Stephen For Anti-Gay Stance

Actor William Baldwin has launched a stinging attack on his younger brother Stephen Baldwin's opposition to equal rights for same-sex couples. The Usual Suspects star Stephen, 41, is the only Republican member of the famous family, and his siblings despair of his conservative views. Eldest brother, Democrat Alec Baldwin, has attempted to change Stephen's mind in the past, and he now has 44-year-old William on his back. Backdraft actor William - who dates a transsexual onscreen in TV show Dirty Sexy Money - tells Out.com of a recent row between the pair: "I asked him, 'Do you think a gay couple should be married? And if not, do you think they deserve access to the same rights on a federal level and state level that you do?' (He responds) 'Because God said and the Bible says that marriage is an institution that exists solely between a man and a woman, blah, blah, blah', and he falls behind that crap. And I said, 'Well if you had a choice - if you and your wife were to die and your kids were still young, and you had a choice between your children being in foster care and potentially being physically and emotionally and sexually abused, as opposed to being adopted by a loving, healthy, caring lesbian or gay couple, what would you rather have?' He couldn't really answer, and I said, 'Thank God Dad isn't here on this earth right now, because he would be so devastated and so horrified.'"
Cyrus To Be Billionaire By Year's End
Disney sensation Miley Cyrus is now officially the wealthiest child in the world - she is reportedly set to be a billionaire by the year's end. Raking in $18 million in 2007 alone, the 15-year-old singer/actress has climbed her way to the top of a list of Hollywood's richest kids, with her Hannah Montana franchise estimated to be worth $1 billion by 2009. A spokesperson for Disney says, "Kids are earning more and more and can command huge fees in Hollywood. But no one could have predicted how popular Miley would be. She's a true star." Cyrus' mother Leticia adds, "A lot goes into her investment fund, which she can't touch until she's 18." The teen hit the headlines earlier this week when it was announced she had signed a seven-figure deal with the Disney Book Group to write her autobiography, slated for a spring 2009 release.
Aniston Dating Mayer?

Actress Jennifer Aniston has sparked speculation of a new romance with rocker John Mayer, after the pair was spotted dining together in Miami, Florida on Friday The Rumor Has It star met Mayer at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, where they enjoyed a mid-afternoon meal. The two stars were locked in conversation for 90 minutes, and sat with their heads close together, according to the eatery's general manager Charles Bell. They even shared their food - Aniston "ate some of" Mayer's ham sandwich, and they split a chocolate dessert. But Bell is refusing to fuel rumors on the nature of their relationship. He tells People.com, "I was happy to accommodate them. I can't speculate on what kind of meeting it was, but they looked happy and seemed to have a great time."
Disney Star Sues Over Escort Ad
The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody star Brenda Song is launching a legal battle for $100,000 in compensation after her photograph was used to advertise an escort service. Disney star Song, 20, was stunned to discover her head shot in the L.A. Weekly newspaper last week, accompanying an advert offering her services as a prostitute. The ad read, "Hawaiin (sic) beauty. Come get lei'd." After it was uncovered last week a Disney representative told Tmz.com, "This is an unauthorized use of Brenda Song's image and her personal attorney has issued a cease and desist to the advertiser." Now Song has filed suit at Los Angeles Superior Court against the company supposedly responsible for the advert, Vibe Media. She says, "In filing suit, I hope to prevent this company from doing this again to anyone else."
Hopkins' New Movie Facing Release Setback

Sir Anthony Hopkins and Laura Linney's new movie The City Of Your Final Destination is facing a delay in its cinema release, because of legal action from one of the film's investors. Actress Susan Malick is suing production company Merchant Ivory over claims she invested $250,000 in the film in return for an associate producer credit - but failed to receive a mention in the movie and has yet to see any of the money returned. Malick's lawyers are to file papers at New York's Manhattan Supreme Court in a bid to get an injunction to stop the release of the movie, which is due to premiere at the city's TriBeCa Film Festival later this month. Malick insists she has been forced to take legal action against the company as she now owes over $350,000 to a credit card company. She tells New York gossip column PageSix, "It has been a disaster. My credit has been destroyed and I'm living hand to mouth. (Company founder) James Ivory was a wonderful friend. But when I call him now he says, 'I can't speak of this, ' or 'I have a call waiting.' Little did I know how much contempt for me he could hold in the bone marrow of his body. It breaks my heart."
Duff To Star In '90210' Remake?

Singer/actress Hilary Duff is reportedly in talks to join the cast of a new Beverly Hills, 90210 spin-off series. A contemporary series of the hit 1990s TV show has been commissioned by TV network CW. The original show, which ran for 10 years from 1990 to 2000, starred Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty and Tori Spelling. Producers are now said to be courting 20-year-old Duff to take on one of the leading roles in the updated version, according to Eonline.com. Duff shot to fame in hit Disney TV show Lizzie McGuire before launching a successful music and film career.
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