Buzz Briefs: Madonna, Hulk Hogan
Madonna's Brother To Release Memoir
The mystery is solved: Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone, is writing a memoir about his sister, to be released in mid-July by Simon & Schuster with a first printing of 350,000, the publisher told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The publisher had been promoting a celebrity memoir for July, asking bookstores to order copies without identifying the author or contents.
Persuading stores to make "blind" orders has been tried before. In 2006, William Morrow offered a mysterious tell-all that turned out to be by Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, who had already written about her. Retailers were angered and the book sold poorly.
Hogan's Estranged Wife Wants Him Locked Up Until He Pays Up
Linda Bollea is asking that Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, be held in contempt of court and jailed until he pays. A court order requires them to share the purchase of the condo at The Palms hotel and spa.
Linda Bollea is asking that Hogan be jailed in Pinellas County. That's where the couple's son is serving an eight-month sentence after pleading no contest to causing a car crash that seriously injured his friend.
An assistant for Hogan's lawyer says the attorney wasn't immediately available. Linda Bollea's lawyer is expected to release a statement later Wednesday.
Photos: Splits
Harrison Ford: From "Indie" Professor To Maverick Scientist
Ford will play a maverick scientist in "Crowley" for CBS Films and will also be an executive producer on the film.
"Crowley" is based on the true story of a young couple, John and Aileen Crowley, whose two children had a rare genetic disorder. Instead of surrendering to the illness, John Crowley found a maverick scientist with a potential cure.
Since time is of the essence in these children's lives, Crowley (Ford) quits his job and risks his life savings to team up with the scientist whose work had been ignored by the establishment.
Photos: Harrison Ford
In order to advance their research on a potential live-saving drug, they sold their fledgling pharmaceutical business to one of the world's largest biotech companies.
Due to their personal connection to research, the children were denied access to the medicine because was considered a conflict of interest, forcing Crowley and the scientist to figure out a way to beat the system to successfully give the cure to his daughter and son.
"Gone Country's" Comical Stars Return To Reality TV
McCormick, will be featured in a CMT reality series called "Outsider's Inn" where she will attempt to run a Southern Bed and Breakfast. She'll call on her "Gone Country" housemates, Bobby Brown and Carnie Wilson, to lend a hand.
"Outsider's Inn," which premieres on Friday, Aug. 15, 2008, chronicles the trials and tribulations of running a bed and breakfast in rural east Tennessee.
McCormick, who's in charge of management of the Inn and property, delegates Brown as the entertainment director and Wilson as the master chef.
David Archuleta Gets Record Deal
The 17-year-old "Idol" runner-up has signed a deal with 19 Recordings/Jive Records, according to a Tuesday post on the Web site of the label managed by "Idol" creator Simon Fuller.
David Cook, 25, a former bartender from Blue Springs, Mo., won the "American Idol" title when the seventh season of Fox's top-rated singing competition wrapped up May 21. The title comes with a recording contract.
Coolio Nabbed Driving With Suspended License
Coolio was arrested Tuesday on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for driving with a suspended license, Los Angeles police said.
The 44-year-old rapper was released roughly five hours after officers pulled over his gray Hummer around 1:45 a.m. in Hollywood. He posted $10,000 bail.
Officers stopped him because the vehicle's registration was expired, but a check revealed his license was suspended and he had an outstanding warrant, Officer Ana Aguirre said.
Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr., gained fame for his 1995 single "Gansta's Paradise."
Photos: Celebrity Circuit
Rodney King To Appear On "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew"
Can they all just get sober?
Rodney King will appear in the next installment of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew," which features famous people dealing with drug and alcohol problems aided by celebrity addiction specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky, the network announced Tuesday.
King, whose 1991 beating by Los Angeles police led to deadly rioting the next year after the police were acquitted prompting him to make a famously earnest plea for peace, will appear on the show with "Grease" star Jeff Conaway, former Guns 'N Roses drummer Steven Adler, Rod Stewart's son Sean, and actress Tawny Kitaen.
The network did not specify what substance problem King would be seeking treatment for.
Photos: Star Treatment
Push To Get Cheeta The Chimp A Hollywood Star
Three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame have gone to the dogs, so why can't Cheeta the chimp get some love?
The animal actor, whose credits include the 1967 comedy "Dr. Doolittle" and the "Tarzan" movies, is trying for the seventh time to get a sidewalk star and become the first monkey to get the honor. His handlers have launched an online petition to get supporters to urge the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to give him a star in 2009.
Each June, the Walk of Fame Committee picks from hundreds of nominations a list of inductees for the next year.
Cheeta's "inclusion on the Hollywood Walk of Fame will not only give recognition to one of the international animal megastars of all time, but focus attention on his fellow primates in the wilds of Africa who now face extinction," the petition reads.
Photos: Cool at the Zoo
The petition notes that Cheeta's canine colleagues Lassie, and 1920s stars Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart are immortalized on the boulevard, along with fictional animals Kermit the Frog, Godzilla and Donald Duck.
"He's up against really big celebrities," Ana Martinez-Holler, a spokeswoman for the Chamber of Commerce said.
This year, Cheeta will be considered along with some 200 entertainers. The chamber usually chooses about 24 a year.
Martinez-Holler said chamber members will announce their selections near the end of the month. She wouldn't speculate whether the seventh time will be a charm for Cheeta.
The 76-year-old chimp, who the Guinness World Records has called the oldest living, non-human primate, is retired and lives in Palm Springs. Cheeta also has a MySpace page, which lists painting "Ape-Stract Art" among his hobbies, and The Monkees as his favorite band.