Buzz Briefs: Lindsay Lohan, JLo
Busboy Claims Lohan Was Drinking Before Crash
The busboy who sued Lindsay Lohan claims to have evidence that the star was drinking before she collided with his van in Oct. 2005.
Raymundo Ortega contends Lohan smashed her Mercedes-Benz into his van after she consumed alcohol and tried to flee the paparazzi. Lohan, 21, filed a countersuit claiming Ortega made an illegal U-turn in Beverly Hills.
Last week, TMZ.com published what it claims is a receipt showing Lohan and four friends ordered four Ivy Gimlets, a drink made with vodka, the afternoon of the crash.
JLo and Marc Anthony Duet Airs
The single features clips from live concerts along with new footage of the couple behind the scenes.
The single is part of Lopez's award-winning Spanish album "Como Ama Una Mujer" that held the top rank for four weeks. The production also netted Lopez "Best Latin Pop Star" of the year honors at the American Music Awards Nov. 18, 2007.
Judge Won't Drop Any Charges Against Remy Ma
Rapper Remy Ma, accused of shooting an acquaintance in July in a dispute over money, also has to face trial on gang assault and witness intimidation charges.
The charges stem from an Aug. 19 attack on a witness' boyfriend in a nightclub in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The 26-year-old rapper, whose real name is Remy Smith, is accused of telling several male friends to assault the man, who suffered a shattered jaw.
Smith's lawyer, Ivan Fisher, tried to have the August charges dismissed, saying the evidence was insufficient to indict his client. Manhattan State Supreme Court Justice Rena Uviller disagreed Dec. 5. She adjourned the case until Jan. 3.
More James Brown Drama
Two former trustees for the late singer's estate claim the judge handling disputes over the late soul singer's finances forced them to resign.
Buddy Dallas and Alford Bradley, who both spent years handling Brown's financial affairs, resigned Nov. 20 during a court hearing before Circuit Judge Jack Early.
They said in court documents filed Tuesday they want to retract their resignations, claiming Early used "improper judicial influence," The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle reported.
The singer's six adult children have been at odds with the trustees, claiming money has been mismanaged. Several other people - including some claiming to be Brown's unacknowledged children - have come forward claiming a share of his estate.
Accused Uma Stalker Rejects Plea Deal
Jack Jordan refused to plead guilty Dec. 5 to attempted coercion, a felony the court would have reduced to a misdemeanor once he completed at least a year in a mental health program.
Jordan, who is free on $10,000 bail, is accused of following and contacting the 37-year-old actress since 2005.
The coercion charge stems from Jordan allegedly saying in an e-mail that he might kill himself if he saw Thurman with another man.
Jordan, a graduate student at Mills College in Oakland, Calif., is living in Massachusetts with his parents.
Britney's New Man?
X17 spotted the pop star with Edie, a real estate agent to the stars, when she filled up her car at a gas station last night. The X17 photographers reported that Edie stayed at Spear's house until 1 am. Hmmm ….
Click here to see photos.
Scarlett Johansson Strikes Back
"OK!" Magazine reports that after "Us Weekly" featured "The Nanny Diaries" star on a cover which poses the question "Did they or didn't they?" have cosmetic surgery, Johansson is threatening to sue.
Her rep released this statement to OK!: "'US Weekly's' cover story regarding Scarlett Johansson and its clear implication that she has had plastic or cosmetic surgery on her nose is an outrageous and defamatory fabrication lacking any conceivable basis or proof, despite vehement denials by Ms. Johansson prior to publication. Not surprisingly, US magazine cannot provide the dates when she supposedly had this surgery, who performed the surgery, or what was supposedly done - all because there simply is no truth to the story. The publication made a pathetic attempt to validate its story by using two cover photos of Scarlett that were taken years apart with obviously different make-up and lighting, and then relying on an "expert's opinion" (based solely on looking at the two photos) on what 'might' have been done. It wasn't."
Johansson said: "I have always been straightforward with the press regarding my body image and I am very concerned that my fans (and perhaps even my employers) will feel misled. Thus, I feel compelled to take immediate legal action against 'US Weekly'."
T.R. Knight A Bridesman In Heigl's Wedding
Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight are close. So close that he told Us Weekly that he will be in Heigl's wedding party, but not as a groomsman, a bridesman.
"I'm standing up there and all," he told Us "So I have to go and get the tux. And I am still deciding on a gift!"
Heigl will marry singer Josh Kelley, 27, on Dec. 23, but she hasn't said exactly where the ceremony will take place.
Trump May Get His Scottish Golf Resort After All
Scottish lawmakers on Wednesday backed government efforts to save Donald Trump's proposed $2.1 billion golf resort that would be built on an unspoiled beach near Aberdeen.
The Scottish government agreed to review Trump's application after a local council rejected it. Now the project is before the Scottish Parliament's economy, energy and tourism committee and a final decision on the project is still likely months away.
Trump's organization has said it is considering moving the project to Northern Ireland after Aberdeenshire Council last week threw out plans for two championship golf courses and a five-star hotel on the northeast coast.
Environmental groups and local campaigners opposed the plans to build near sand dunes that are home to rare birds, skylarks and lapwings. The area is protected as an area of special scientific interest. Advocates say the project would create 1,440 jobs across Scotland.
Is Lindsay Rekindling An Old Flame?
According to Page Six, Lindsay Lohan has been spending time with her ex, Stavros Niarchos, who also dated her former foe, Paris Hilton. A source told Page Six that the Greek shipping heir avoided Hilton at a party and seemed annoyed by her advances. He left to go spend time with the freshly rehabbed Lohan, Page Six said.
Jenna Bush Calls President Live On "Ellen"
Ellen DeGeneres prodded First Daughter Jenna Bush to call her high-powered parents live during a taping of her show to be aired Wednesday, according to People.
DeGeneres asked if Bush could get her father on the line anytime she wanted. On cue, Bush quipped, "I'm not going to get anything I asked for for Christmas," and dialed up her father President George W. Bush.
Jenna Bush got through to her surprised father who asked DeGeneres, "How's my little girl doing?"
A timid Jenna, 26, asked President Bush, "Are you mad?"
President Bush replied, "No, not at all. I'm excited to talk to you. I'm glad to talk to Ellen."
"Borat" Creators Sued ... AgainPhoto Essay: Presidential Daughters
A driving instructor has filed a lawsuit against the makers of the movie "Borat," accusing the creators of lying to him about the nature of the documentary about immigrants adjusting to life in the U.S.
Lawyers for driving school owner Michael Psenicska seek $100,000 in compensatory damages and unspecified punitive damages. The lawsuit argues Psenicska is entitled to damages because he was featured extensively in 20th Century Fox's advertising for the film, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan."
The lawsuit says Fox and star Sacha Baron Cohen fraudulently induced Psenicska to sign documents before filming him in the 2006 movie. Psenicska was interested in the documentary because he is in the business of teaching foreigners how to drive but he was shocked to see Borat drive on the wrong side of the road, make ethnic slurs, and roll down his window offering a female pedestrian $10 for "sexy time," the lawsuit says.
The makers of "Borat" have been sued by frat boys, conservatives, and a businessman who fled a hug from Cohen's character.
Charges Dropped Against Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Prosecutors dropped public drunkenness charges against Jonathan Rhys Meyers Wednesday after the star expressed remorse over an incident at Dublin airport.
Rhys Meyers, 30, was arrested Nov. 18 and faced two charges of public drunkenness and breach of peace for causing a disturbance after the actor was denied permission to board a flight to London.
While the state dropped all charges, Rhys Meyers received a legal warning that he could face stiffer penalties if he misbehaves in Ireland again.
Rhys Meyers' arrest occurred six months after checking out of a rehab clinic in California and three months after the sudden death of his mother.
Spears Investigated For Child Abuse, Neglect
Child welfare investigators are investigating "multiple child abuse and neglect" allegations in the custody battle between Britney Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline, according to court documents released Tuesday.
In a request to unseal parts of the case file, an attorney for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services wrote that there are concerns about the safety and welfare of the two toddlers, Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, if they are left in their mother's care.
Though the agency mentioned investigating referrals relating to Federline, the documents don't provide details. K-Fed has temporary custody of the boys after Spears defied court orders about regular drug testing.
Brit's parental missteps have been widely publicized: from stumbling and nearly Sean Preston, to having him improperly strapped into his car seat. Last year she was photographed while driving with him in her lap.
Former Lohan Bodyguard Sues For Libel
Andrae "Doc" Renard Newman, Lindsay Lohan's former bodyguard,
filed a lawsuit against Star magazine claiming the publication damaged his career by including a photo of him in a tell-all article.
Newman filed a libel lawsuit Monday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming he was misidentified for another bodyguard, Lee Weaver, in a photo caption.
The article was entitled, "Lindsay's Bodyguard Bares All! Her Sick Secret World," and hit stands July 25, 2007.
The lawsuit alleges the editors knew the caption was incorrect but published it anyway.
Star magazine editor-in-chief Candace Trunzo said, "As soon as Star was notified that we identified the wrong bodyguard in the photo caption of the Lohan bodyguard tell-all, Star immediately withdrew the article from its Web site and corrected, retracted and apologized for the error."
Jodie Foster Given Leadership Award
Despite being the guest of honor at the Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Power 100 breakfast Tuesday, Jodie Foster said, "I don't feel very powerful."
"I feel fragile ... unsure, struggling to figure it all out," the 45-year-old actress-director-producer said as she accepted the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at the event, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Foster characterized herself as a "professional" and a "gentleman." But she also said that after working in entertainment for 42 years, "there's no way you can do that and not be as nutty as a fruitcake."
"I always feel like something of an impostor. I don't know what I'm doing," she said. "I suppose that's my one little secret, the secret of my success."
Anti-Whaling Ship Renamed The "Steve Irwin"
A conservation group has renamed one of its ships after late environmentalist "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin in a campaign to thwart Japan's annual whale hunt in Antarctic waters.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vows to use whatever means necessary to disrupt Japanese whalers from harvesting as many as 50 humpbacks, 935 minkes and 50 fin whales under the guise of an oceanic research program.
Irwin's widow, Terri, supports Sea Shepherd's mission and gave permission for the renaming of one of the organization's two flagships. Steve Irwin died from a stingray attack off of Australia's Great Barrier Reef in Sept. 2006.
Terri Irwin said in a statement, "Whales have always been in Steve's heart, and in 2006 he was investigating the possibility of joining the Sea Shepherd on part of its journey to defend these beautiful animals."
Teri Hatcher Sued Over Lip Gloss
Teri Hatcher is being sued $2.4 million for promoting the wrong lip gloss.
The skin-care products company Hydroderm filed the lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday, alleging that a 2005 agreement with Hatcher's production company stipulated the "Desperate Housewives" star would not endorse any competing skin-care products.
The lawsuit claims, "Hatcher's name, image and likeness have been linked to so many competitors' products (at least 17!) that it is anyone's guess as to what product keeps her skin and lips youthful."
While the lawsuit does not mention the competitors' products by name, Hatcher has appeared in promotional materials for CityLips, a lip plumper rival to Hydroderm. Hatcher, 42, also reportedly gave away CityLips gift bags at her birthday party.