Buzz Briefs: Busta Rhymes, Thomas Jane
Busta Rhymes Gets Probation, Warning From Judge
A judge sentenced Busta Rhymes to three years' probation Tuesday for assaulting his former driver and a fan, and warned the rapper to stay out of trouble.
The 35-year-old Rhymes, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was also ordered to perform 10 days of community service; pay a $1,250 fine, plus court costs; and enroll in a drunken driving program.
Rhymes pleaded guilty in January on the day he was set to go to trial on the assault and driving offenses related to four separate incidents.
At that time, Stephen revoked Rhymes' driver's license for six months and signed an order of protection directing him to stay away from his former driver.
His hits include "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See," "Dangerous" and "Touch It." He also has appeared in movies, including "Shaft" and "Finding Forrester."
Actor Thomas Jane May Face Real-Life Punishment
The CHP says the 39-year-old actor was driving his black 2008 Maserati at 124 mph when he was stopped on Interstate 5 in Kern County early Monday morning. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
Jane was described as cooperative. He underwent field sobriety tests and a blood test at Kern Medical Center. He was booked into the downtown jail and later released.
Jane starred in "The Mist" and "The Punisher."
Gary Busey: Sorry For Awkward Encounter With Jennifer Garner
During a live E! pre-show broadcast, Busey repeatedly interrupted while Ryan Seacrest was interviewing Garner and Laura Linney. At one point, Busey embraced Garner, who looked annoyed.
"I meant no disrespect to Ms. Jennifer Garner when I met her at the Oscars and apologize if I made her uncomfortable," the 63-year-old actor said in a statement e-mailed Monday by a publicist for his attorney, Vicki Roberts.
By the time he realized Garner and Linney were being interviewed, Busey said he tried to step back but "suddenly Ryan introduced her to me."
Busey, an Oscar nominee for his role in 1978's "The Buddy Holly Story," has parodied his eccentric reputation on the HBO comedy "Entourage."
Jackie Chan, Jet Li To Team Up On Second Flick Together
Kung fu cinema's two biggest stars expressed admiration for each other at a Hong Kong news conference Tuesday to promote their first collaboration, the $75 million Hollywood production, "The Forbidden Kingdom."
The English-language movie follows an American teenager's fantasy journey to ancient China, where he meets several characters from Chinese mythology such as the Drunken Immortal, played by Chan, and the Silent Monk, played by Li.
"The Forbidden Kingdom" will be released in the U.S. on April 18 and in Asia on April 24.
Director Rob Minkoff said bringing Chan and Li together was a difficult challenge that involved hiring a top-notch supporting crew, including famed kung fu choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, known for his work on "The Matrix" trilogy.
Chan and Li's friendship dates back to the 1980s. Li, a former national kung fu champion in China, said Chan watched him perform martial arts in the U.S. then, and Chan said he played host when Li first arrived in Hong Kong to try to break into the local film industry.
Cyrus Makes Miley Her Legal Name
Miley Cyrus, whose given name is Destiny Hope Cyrus, has filed papers in Los Angeles Superior Court to change her full legal name to Miley Ray Cyrus.
The 15-year-old singer and TV star is the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, who filed the papers last Friday with wife Leticia. Her father writes in the filing that the request was "to make her commonly used name the same as her legal name."
The name-change request was first reported by the celebrity Web site TMZ.com.
Photos: "Best Of Both Worlds"
Miley Cyrus has said her father gave her the nickname "Smiley Miley" as a baby because of her sunny disposition. On the Disney Channel tween hit "Hannah Montana," she plays a teen who leads a double life as an average teenager and a famous pop star.
Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus are hosting the Country Music Television ceremony together at Nashville's Belmont University on April 14.
Madonna Denies Break-Up Rumor
Madonna is squashing suggestions that her marriage may be ending.
"I am delighted to confirm that Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ritchie remain happily married," the pop star's spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg, said in a statement Monday.
The news media and blogosphere have been speculating on the couple's status; on Monday, the British newspaper The Sun published a gossipy article on its Web site with the headline: "Madge's marriage 'hangs by a thread."'
Ritchie, 39, attended neither Madonna's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last week nor her star-studded United Nations fundraiser in early February.
Rosenberg explained that, until recently, Madonna, 49, and Ritchie were living in separate countries: The Material Girl toured the U.S. to promote her upcoming album "Hard Candy," while the director was stationed in England putting the finishing touches on his new film "RocknRolla," filming a Nike commercial and "working on several scripts."
Photos: 2008 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame
Today, the Ritchies are "joyfully back together at home in London. All is well and wonderful in the Ritchie household," Rosenberg said.
The couple have a son, Rocco, 7, and Madonna, a Michigan native, has a daughter, Lourdes, 11. In 2006, they began raising a Malawian boy they want to adopt.
March 17, 2008
Donny & Marie To Host Miss USA Pageant
Donny and Marie Osmond are set to appear on stage together to host the upcoming Miss USA Pageant.
The Miss Universe Organization says the brother-and-sister song and dance stars will host the NBC Universal show April 11 from the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The network owns the pageant with real estate mogul Donald Trump.
The rival Miss America pageant crowned its 2008 queen in the same casino in January.
Clinton And Pitt Team Up To Help Katrina Victims
Former President Clinton and Brad Pitt met with hundreds of volunteers in the Lower 9th Ward at the site where a foundation headed by Pitt plans to begin building affordable homes for Hurricane Katrina victims.
"We hope to see a huge change here in the next six months," Pitt told a group of residents as he posed for pictures Sunday and signed autographs.
The 44-year-old actor and Clinton walked a street as hundreds of volunteers on either side, wielding shovels and rakes, prepared the land for homes. For hours, they cleared overgrown grass and weeds that were covering street drains and sidewalks
Pitt and Clinton broke ground with shovels after their mingling with the volunteers.
Radiohead Hosts Online Video Contest
Radiohead allowed fans to choose a price for their latest tunes. Now, the best-selling band is hoping fans will make them a music video, too.
TBD Records, Cartoon Network's Adult Swim and animation Web portal Aniboom.com are sponsoring an online contest inviting Radiohead fans to produce an animated music video for any song from "In Rainbows," the band's popular 2007 album that was originally available for download at an optional price.
Online voters and a panel of judges will select finalists with Radiohead choosing a winner who will receive a $10,000 prize to produce a full-length animated music video. The competition began Monday and continues through April 27.