Pink, husband split

Pink, husband split

NEW YORK — Pink and motocross racer Carey Hart have separated after two years of marriage. “This decision was made by best friends with a huge amount of love and respect for one another,” Pink’s representative, Michele Schweitzer, said Tuesday in a statement. “While the marriage is over, their friendship has never been stronger.” Pink, whose real name is Alecia Moore, met Hart at the 2001 X Games in Las Vegas and proposed to him four years later during a race in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. They were married Jan. 7, 2006, in Costa Rica. Pink, 28, won a Grammy for best female rock vocal performance for her song “Trouble” in 2003. Her hits include “Get the Party Started,” “Stupid Girls” and “Don’t Let Me Get Me.”

Nude Marilyn photo

LAS VEGAS — A Las Vegas man plans to unveil what he says is a rare photo of Marilyn Monroe posing as a nude hitchhiker. A news conference is scheduled for today. Lawrence Nicastro says he found the photo last year while going through storage items at his Las Vegas home. Nicastro was running a service station in New York’s borough of the Bronx when a man dropped off a Ford Sunliner convertible for repairs on New Year’s Eve 1962. When the man didn’t return to pick up his car, Nicastro opened the trunk and placed the contents in storage. Nicastro’s publicist believes the photo was taken near Pyramid Lake, near Reno, in 1960. Monroe filmed “The Misfits” with Clark Gable in 1960 in Nevada. The actress died in 1962.

New ‘Dancing’ stars

LOS ANGELES — Priscilla Presley, Kristi Yamaguchi and Marlee Matlin are catching dance fever. They are among the dozen celebrities who will compete on the next season of “Dancing With the Stars,” ABC announced Monday night. The other contestants are Adam Carolla, Shannon Elizabeth, Steve Guttenberg, Monica Seles, Penn Jillette, Mario, Jason Taylor, Cristian De La Fuente and Marissa Jaret Winokur. “Dancing” returns March 17.

Martha acquires Emeril

NEW YORK — Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. is bringing in a new celebrity: popular TV chef Emeril Lagasse. The New York-based media and merchandising company founded by domesticity maven Martha Stewart announced Tuesday that it bought the rights to the Emeril Lagasse franchise of cookbooks, television shows and kitchen products for $45 million in cash and $5 million in stock at closing. The final price could rise to up to $70 million if certain benchmarks are achieved. The company did not acquire Emeril’s Homebase, which includes Lagasse’s 11 restaurants and corporate office.

Today’s birthdays

Fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt is 84. Actor Sidney Poitier is 81. Jazz-soul singer Nancy Wilson is 71. Singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie is 67. Hockey Hall-of-Famer Phil Esposito is 66. Actress Sandy Duncan is 62. Rock musician J. Geils is 62. Actor Peter Strauss is 61. Rock singer-musician-producer Walter Becker (Steely Dan) is 58. Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst is 54. Basketball player Charles Barkley is 45. Actor French Stewart is 44. Model Cindy Crawford is 42. Actor Jay Hernandez is 30. Actress Majandra Delfino is 27. Singer Rihanna is 20.