Buzz Briefs: Steve Irwin, Teri Hatcher
Anti-Whaling Ship Renamed After 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 For 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.Photo Essay: Teri Hatcher
Dec. 4, 2007
Amy Winehouse Cracking Under Pressure
The 24-year-old singer was photographed outside her London home early Sunday barefoot and wearing jeans, a red bra and a pained expression. Her dark hair appeared loose and natural, in contrast to her trademark beehive hairdo.
Her publicist, Tracey Miller, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Winehouse, stirred from sleep at 6 a.m. by "a lot of noise," had stepped "outside her flat to investigate and was met by photographers."
"She was startled," Miller said.
Winehouse recently canceled all concerts and public appearances for the rest of the year on doctor's orders. Her 25-year-old husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, was ordered held in custody in London last month on charges stemming from a case in which he is accused of assaulting a barman in June.
"Trying to deal with everything she's dealing with and (she's) just under all this pressure now ... it's like her every move (is) being monitored," Miller told the AP.
Winehouse, who won critical acclaim for her second album, "Back to Black," which includes the hit song "Rehab," has become a tabloid fixture recently with her lackluster performances, health fears and reports of alleged drug use. In August, she spent time in rehab and canceled a series of dates in Britain, the United States and Canada.
Rapper Pimp C Found Dead In L.A. Hotel
"It is with great regret that I must confirm that Chad Butler aka Pimp C, one half of the legendary UGK, was in fact discovered dead this morning," his publicist, Nancy Byron, said in a statement. "Manager Rick Martin is asking that everyone please respect his family and those close to him at this time and refrain from rumors and innuendo."
Pimp C and partner Bun B were pioneers of Southern rap, and hit the mainstream with their cameo on Jay-Z's hit "Big Pimpin'."
The duo's career was derailed when Pimp C was jailed for three years in 2002 on gun charges. He released an album while in prison, and this year the group made a comeback with the critically acclaimed album "Underground Kingz," which included the hit "Int'l Player's Anthem (I Choose You)," featuring OutKast.
Barry Weiss, CEO of their record label, Jive, said in a statement: "We mourn the unexpected loss of Chad. He was truly a thoughtful and kind-hearted person. He will be remembered for his talent and profound influence as a pioneer in bringing southern rap to the forefront."
The Quaids Sue Drug Maker Over Blood Thinner
The product liability lawsuit, filed in Chicago, seeks at least $50,000 in damages. It claims that Baxter Healthcare Corp., based in Deerfield, Ill., was negligent in packaging different doses of the product in similar vials.
The accident came after three Indianapolis infants died from overdoses last year.
While hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace Quaid were given doses of heparin that were 1,000 times stronger than what was prescribed.
The twins are home and "appear to be doing well," said Susan E. Loggans, the Chicago attorney who filed the lawsuit. "The Quaids are a religious family and they really believe the prayers of the public saved their kids."
"The point of this case is to save other children from this fate. They're not looking for money," Loggans said.
The Quaids did not sue Cedars-Sinai, which acknowledged after the news broke that a "preventable error" had resulted in three patients receiving vials containing 10,000 units per milliliter of heparin instead of vials with a concentration of 10 units per milliliter.
Russell Crowe Pinch Hits For Brad Pitt
Russell Crowe has taken over the lead role Brad Pitt backed out of in "State of Play," the political thriller co-starring Helen Mirren, Edward Norton, Robin Wright Penn and Jason Bateman.
Pitt, 43, who dropped out of the film last month, had wanted to make the movie but wasn't pleased with the script, according to Hollywood trade paper Variety.
Crowe, 43, will play a former political consultant who is now a journalist investigating a murder linked to a congressman whose campaign he once ran.
Directed by Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland"), "State of Play" begins filming this month.
Neurosonic Has A Rebuttal To "Cease And Desist" Story
Lead singer and guitarist Jason Darr of Neurosonic (Bodog Music) responded to recent reports regarding the alleged cease and desist order for their song "So Many People."
"Anyone silly enough to believe I was serious about the comment I made at my [Neurosonic] NYC Knitting Factory performance has no sense of humor. Before we played our song, 'So Many People' I joked that Pete Wentz had taken out a cease and desist for the song because my lyrics are all about Ashlee Simpson's Saturday Night Live debacle as well as celebrity culture," Darr said.
"The song is not new, I wrote it three years ago, I wrote the music and had the initial lyrics right after the Saturday Night Live debacle in October 2004, and completed the song right after Ashlee was given the billboard award [December 2004]. 'So Many People' is on our album Drama Queen, which was released by our label Bodog Music in January 2007."
"The song is tongue-in-cheek and it was mostly meant to blow off steam about a subject that is laughable at best. It is not meant to be malicious. I do mean every word of the song though, so you can take it or leave it. It's only rock 'n roll," Darr said.
Since Darr's comment the story has been blown out of proportion. Yesterday, the New York Daily News reported that Wentz of the band Fall Out Boy (and Ashlee Simpson's boyfriend) is not filing a cease-and-desist order against the band Neurosonic. But Wentz told the Daily News' Rush and Molloy "I've never filed a cease-and-desist in my life. I would never ... try to censor someone. ... The truth is I have never heard of this band or this song. … Besides, we don't really waste our time talking about things that happened three years ago."
Oprah, Denzel To Appear On Cover Of Ebony
Oprah Winfrey and "American Gangster" star Denzel Washington will appear on the cover of this month's issue of Ebony magazine, which details a behind-the-scenes look at the two's newest movie, "The Great Debaters."
The film tells the real life story how Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas, spearheaded the school's newly formed debate team into stardom in 1935 by leading the squad to the national championships against Harvard.
Winfrey is a producer for the movie, as is Washington, who is also the film's director and leading man.
The movie, which hits theaters on Dec. 25, was in the works for a decade, Ebony reported.
The cover is one of two magazine covers the two will appear on together, E! Online reported on Oct. 30. The other is believed to be Parade.
Dave Chappelle Breaks Standup Endurance Record - Again
The 34-year-old comedian, who broke the West Hollywood Laugh Factory's endurance record by taking to the stage for six hours and seven minutes in April, topped his record by telling jokes for six hours and 12 minutes on Sunday.
"Dave was determined to keep his record because he recently heard that Dane Cook was planning on trying to break (his) record," the club's owner, Jamie Masada, said Monday.
Masada said the previous record of three hours and 50 minutes was accomplished by Cook in early April. But until then the mark had stood at two hours and 41 minutes since Richard Pryor set it in 1980.
Chappelle, who walked out on a $50 million deal to continue his hit Comedy Central show last year, told audience members he's been traveling, most recently to Ecuador, Masada said.
Dave Scott Weiland Involved In Car Crash
The Velvet Revolver frontman was arrested for driving under the influence of a drug after he crashed his car in Los Angeles, but his publicist says it was a minor accident and denies the allegations.
Weiland, 40, was driving on a state highway on Nov. 21 when he had the accident.
The singer was arrested after an officer noticed he showed "signs of impairment" and failed field sobriety tests, according to a police report obtained by the celebrity site TMZ.com.
Weiland was taken to the Van Nuys Jail where he refused to take a blood or urine test, according to the police report. He was booked and released on $40,000 bail. His next court appearance was set for Dec. 13.
Weiland's publicist said in a statement that Weiland was involved in a "minor accident," but denies he was driving under the influence.
"Scott was not driving under the influence of a drug, legal or illegal," Kristine Ashton-Magnuson said. "He voluntarily took a breathalyzer test which the defense believes registers well within the legal limit."
"He is anxious to get to court ... and clear this matter up," she said.
Carson Daly Returns To TV
NBC's "Last Call" has become the first late-night show to return to the air with fresh episodes since the Hollywood writers' strike began.
Host Carson Daly says he was faced with what amounted to an ultimatum from the network: Either come back or 75 members of his staff and crew were going to be laid off.
He also cracked that "we ran out of repeats."
Production on Daly's Burbank-based talk show, which tapes several days ahead, resumed last Wednesday, with the Writers Guild expressing "profound disappointment."
Daly is the only late-night host who isn't a member of the Guild.
Talks aimed at settling the strike are set to resume today. Last week, the studio alliance made a new proposal regarding compensation for work shown on the Internet, a central issue in negotiations.