Apologies to Hatcher
Apologies to Hatcher
LONDON -- Britain's best-selling newspaper apologized Wednesday to "Desperate Housewives" star Teri Hatcher for a story that claimed she had sex with men in a van outside her home. The Sun tabloid acknowledged the article, which it ran last August, was "totally incorrect" and apologized to Hatcher "for the embarrassment caused." In December, Hatcher, 41, accepted undisclosed libel damages from another tabloid, The Daily Sport, which had earlier made the same claims.
Trump State Park
JEFFERSON VALLEY, N.Y. -- Donald Trump is donating 436 bucolic acres in New York City's northern suburbs for a new state park that will be named for -- you guessed it -- Donald Trump. The new Donald J. Trump State Park includes two areas of woods and wetlands along the Taconic State Parkway, near or abutting other parkland including the Franklin D. Roosevelt and Fahnestock state parks.
Grazer seeks separation
LOS ANGELES -- Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer has filed for legal separation from his wife of eight years, novelist Gigi Levangie-Grazer. In documents filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Grazer cited irreconcilable differences and asked for joint custody of their sons, 2-year-old Patrick and 6-year-old Thomas. Grazer's collaboration with director Ron Howard earned them a best picture Oscar in 2002 for "A Beautiful Mind." Their latest project, "The Da Vinci Code," will be released in theaters next month. Levangie-Grazer wrote the screenplay for the Julia Roberts movie "Stepmom."
Shields has a girl
LOS ANGELES -- It's a girl -- again -- for Brooke Shields. The actress gave birth Tuesday to Grier Hammond Henchy, who weighed 7 pounds, spokeswoman Pat Kingsley said. Shields, 40, and husband Chris Henchy, a 42-year-old television writer and producer, also have a daughter, Rowan, who turns 3 next month. They have been married since 2001. The birth came the same day that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes welcomed the arrival of daughter Suri. Shields and Cruise had a public spat last year after the "Mission: Impossible" star criticized the actress for taking antidepressants after the birth of her first child.
Sex tape battle ends
LOS ANGELES -- Colin Farrell can breathe easy -- his private parts will remain out of public view. Farrell and ex-girlfriend Nicole Narain reached an amicable settlement in their legal battle over a sex tape they filmed three years ago, her attorney said Tuesday.
Last month, Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle denied Narain's motion to dismiss the 29-year-old actor's lawsuit to prevent distribution of the tape. Narain, a 2002 Playboy Playmate, had challenged Farrell's claim that they agreed to keep the 14-minute videotape private. Instead, she alleged that she had the right to reproduce, market and distribute the tape under federal copyright law.
Jackson in studio
LONDON -- Michael Jackson has returned to the studio and plans to release a new album next year for a record label owned by the son of Bahrain's king. 2 Seas Records, which is owned by Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, said Tuesday it had signed an exclusive recording agreement with Jackson, and the new album was tentatively scheduled for release in late 2007. Jackson, 47, moved to the Gulf state soon after being acquitted of child molestation charges in California last year. The 33-island archipelago is about the size of Rhode Island.
Molestation case tossed
NEW ORLEANS -- A judge says he tossed out a 22-year-old kidnapping and molestation claim against Michael Jackson because the pop star proved he was miles away from where the abduction allegedly occurred. U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon dismissed the case last Thursday. The reasons for his decision were posted Tuesday on the court's Web site. Joseph Bartucci Jr. had claimed that he was forced into a white limousine on May 19, 1984, during the New Orleans World's Fair, and driven to California while being molested, held at gunpoint and cut with steel wire and a razor blade. Bartucci claimed he did not recover memories of the assault until 2003. The judge noted, but did not rule on Jackson's contention that Bartucci is a "professional litigator." In a 2005 court filing, Jackson's lawyers said Bartucci had been involved in 18 civil and criminal suits over the previous 17 years, including one raising allegations of sexual abuse against a minister.
Today's birthdays
Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is 86. Actress Nina Foch is 82. Actor Leslie Phillips is 82. Actor George Takei is 69. Singer Johnny Tillotson is 67. Actor Ryan O'Neal is 65. Bluegrass singer-musician Doyle Lawson (Quicksilver) is 62. Rock musician Craig Frost (Grand Funk; Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band) is 58. Actress Jessica Lange is 57. Actor Clint Howard is 47. Actor Crispin Glover is 42. Country singer Wade Hayes is 37. Actor Shemar Moore is 36. Rock musician Mikey Welsh is 35. Actress Carmen Electra is 34. Actor Joseph Lawrence is 30.