hKathie Lee makes appearance on old show

hKathie Lee makes
appearance on old show

NEW YORK — There were no tears — or catfights — when Kathie Lee Gifford appeared on “Live With Regis and Kelly” to celebrate the syndicated daytime talk show’s 20th anniversary. Gifford, who left as co-host in 2000, returned to her former workplace as Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa looked back on the program’s most memorable moments. Her guest appearance aired Friday. Before Tuesday’s taping in New York, Philbin, 76, said he wondered whether Gifford would get along with Ripa, who joined the show as co-host in 2001. “I’m looking forward to seeing (Gifford) again,” Philbin told AP Radio. “Bringing her back on the show and seeing what happens — what sparks fly! — between the only two co-hosts I’ve had on the last 20 years.” No sparks flew; Gifford and Ripa are friends. “I’m a huge fan of hers,” Ripa told AP Radio. “I was a huge fan of the show before I was ever on the show, so I love the chemistry and the rapport that Regis and Kathie Lee have with each other.” Gifford, 54, and Ripa, 36, teared up watching clips of their families growing up, but neither really cried.

Channing’s signature
dress is stolen

LOS ANGELES — Carol Channing’s signature dress — a shimmery number she wore in the stage production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” — was stolen at a Hollywood hotel. The 86-year-old actress and her husband were checking into the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel on Thursday when a man swiped one of her bags from a bell cart in the lobby, said Officer Jason Lee, a police spokesman. The bag contained the dress, which Channing told police was valued at $150,000, Lee said. Along with her platinum bob and distinctive voice, Channing was known for her role as Lorelei Lee in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and as Dolly Gallagher Levi in “Hello Dolly.” Her representative told celebrity Web site TMZ.com that the dress was on its way to the Smithsonian museum for an exhibit, along with her 1964 Tony award for “Hello Dolly.” The award was in a different bag. Lobby video surveillance captured the theft, showing a man with the bag exiting the hotel. The suspect walked into the hotel, stole the bag and left, Lee said.

Limp Bizkit singer
pleads no contest

LOS ANGELES — Fred Durst pleaded no contest to seven misdemeanors, including assault, battery and reckless driving, for deliberately hitting two people with his car. William Fred Durst, 37, entered the pleas Aug. 16 and was handed a suspended 120-day jail sentence, ordered to perform 20 hours of community service and fined $1,500, according to Superior Court documents. The documents, first obtained by CelebTV.com, also show the Limp Bizkit lead singer was slapped with a restraining order saying he cannot “annoy, harass, strike, threaten or otherwise disturb the peace” of the two victims, whose names weren’t disclosed. Durst must stay at least 100 yards away from the victims and he cannot possess a firearm. Durst allegedly hit the two Los Angeles residents with his vehicle Oct. 26, 2006, according to the documents. Misdemeanor charges filed in January included two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, three counts of battery, one count of making a criminal threat and one count of reckless driving.

Today’s birthdays

Actor-director Jackie Cooper is 85. Comedian Norm Crosby is 80. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Gaylord Perry is 69. Football Hall-of-Famer Merlin Olsen is 67. Actor Tommy Lee Jones is 61. Movie director Oliver Stone is 61. Rock musician Mitch Dorge (Crash Test Dummies) is 47. Football Hall-of-Famer Dan Marino is 46. Actor Josh Charles is 36. Britain’s Prince Henry of Wales is 23.