Afternoon Briefing:
Bad fashion: The New York Observer asked a bunch of people at the Council of Fashion Designers Awards in New York this week what they considered to be the most important fashion don'ts. Michael Kors said, "Flip-flops on Fifth Avenue." Martha Stewart said, "Wearing no clothes." And Jay-Z said, "You gotta wear the clothes, don't let them wear you. I gotta get me a drink now." (N.Y. Observer)
Did Britney bail on Bono's kids? According to the London Daily Mirror, Bono brought his kids to a Britney Spears show in Ireland the other day, and when the mini Bonos begged to be taken backstage to meet their pop idol, Dad obliged, only to be snubbed by Spears. Someone told the British tabloid that "Britney was having none of it. She just point-blank refused to meet them and they were very disappointed. She made some excuse about being too tired. It's ridiculous if she thinks she's too important to meet the offspring of a legend like Bono." (Daily Mirror via WENN)
Barney, 24/7? If Comcast, PBS, Sesame Workshop and Britain's HIT Entertainment can come to an agreement, parents may be able to rock their children to sleep at 3 a.m. to the sounds of "Sesame Street." The new network would be a 24-hour digital cable channel for preschoolers. (Wall Street Journal via Reuters)
Down with zee SUV: A top official in the Paris government is urging the mayor to OK a ban on SUVs from the city's streets, saying they are a "caricature of a car," are unsuited to city life and are "dangerous to others." (Reuters)
Swept away: Nicole Kidman, giving interviews to promote her new film, "The Stepford Wives," says, "I don't think you can have two highly, highly successful people in a relationship." She says she would slow her career down if someone would come along and "sweep me off my feet." (AZ Central)
-- Karen Croft
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Turn On:
The psuedo-improv, psuedo-cop show "Reno 911!" (10:30 p.m. ET; Comedy Central) returns for its second season on Wednesday night. See what President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush choose to remember about the Gipper on "Larry King Live" (9 p.m. ET; CNN).
-- Scott Lamb
Morning Briefing:
Stern settlement: Radio giant Clear Channel Communications has agreed to pay the FCC an estimated $1.75 million to settle several indecency complaints against it, including those stemming from a show in which Howard Stern discussed anal sex. The penalty payment is the largest ever levied by the FCC, exceeding the $1.7 million Infinity Broadcasting paid in 1995 to settle complaints against ... Howard Stern. Clear Channel suspended Stern's show in February and dumped it from its stations altogether in April. (N.Y. Times)
Again? Courtney Love has been charged with yet another offense. This time? A warrant has been issued for her arrest on charges of "assault with a deadly weapon likely to produce great bodily injury," stemming from an incident in April in which she allegedly threw a bottle and a metal flashlight at a woman named Kristin King. The alleged assault is said to have taken place at the home of Love's former manager and ex-beau Jim Barber, the same home Love has been charged with causing a ruckus outside in October. In this latest incident, Love allegedly became enraged after finding King in Barber's company. (Celebrity Justice)
More love for Moore: It's not just Cannes audiences who love Michael Moore's new anti-Bush film, "Fahrenheit 9/11." An audience of more than 600 film industry types leaped to its feet, whistled and cheered after viewing the film at its West Coast premiere at Academy Award headquarters. Taking the stage, Moore said, "There has been a shift in this country. ... The average American is finally beginning to figure it out. We were duped [into invading Iraq]." (Reuters)
The Passion of the Mel: Mel Gibson's film company, Icon Distribution Inc., has filed a $40 million lawsuit against top cinema chain Regal Entertainment Group, claiming that Regal reneged on its agreement to pay it 55 percent of gross ticket sales for Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Icon says Regal has paid it only 34 percent. (Reuters)
Just what the world needs: Another "American Idol"? Reality TV king Mark Burnett is reportedly fixing to launch an "American Idol" knockoff, only with a more rock 'n' roll slant. Burnett's plans to create a show in which contestants from across the world vie to become the lead singer of an existing, internationally famous rock band. The rock band would reportedly play a bigger role in determining who makes the cut -- à la Donald Trump in "The Apprentice" -- than the American public. Burnett has enlisted David Goffin, supervising producer for "American Idol," to help him create the show. (Variety)
Laci Peterson's stepfather takes the stand: Laci Peterson's brother and stepfather took the stand on Tuesday to testify in the trial of Scott Peterson, who stands accused of her murder. Laci's stepfather, Ron Grantski, said he thought Peterson was acting suspiciously immediately after Laci's disappearance, and confronted him about it. "I said, 'I think your Berkeley fishing trip story is a fishy story. Did you do something else? Do you have a girlfriend?" Peterson denied it, but Grantski's suspicions were confirmed later when he saw a photo of Peterson with Amber Frey, with whom Peterson had an affair. "That was the final straw," Grantski testified. (N.Y. Times)
Buh-bye, Rocco? Rocco DiSpirito's partner in Rocco's on 22nd St. has banned the celebrity chef from the restaurant that carries his own name. DiSpirito's mother, Nicolina, who still works at the restaurant, says the shutting out of her son has upset the business' staffers: "They don't know what to expect next ... All I can do is take it day by day and do my best here." (N.Y. Daily News)
Another baby for Angelina? Angelina Jolie is said to be looking to adopt another child, this one from Russia, possibly a Chechen orphan. "Angelina has always wanted a rainbow family, children from all countries," a source tells Us Weekly. (Page Six)
Saddest lady in the universe? How did Marc Anthony's ex-wife since last Tuesday, former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, learn of Anthony's wedding to Jennifer Lopez (which he still refuses to confirm, despite the fact that we've all seen the photos)? "Dayanara found out about the wedding on the Internet," says a friend, adding that Torres has taken off on a European vacation. But don't feel too bad for her. "Nothing about Marc surprises her anymore," the friend adds. "She was depressed toward the end of their marriage. But I think she's numb to it all." (Rush and Molloy)
Money Quote:
Anna Nicole Smith on the kinkiest sex she's ever had: "A ghost would crawl up my leg and have sex with me at an apartment a long time ago in Texas. I used to think it was my boyfriend, and one day I woke up and it wasn't. I was freaked out about it, but then I was, like, 'Well, you know what? He's never hurt me and he just gave me some amazing sex, so I have no problem.'" (FHM magazine via Rush and Molloy)
-- Amy Reiter
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