The Fix

Paris & Paris just one big hoax? Dr. Phil -- not going away anytime soon. Plus: The odds that Britney names baby "Cheetos."

Published August 5, 2005 2:28PM (EDT)

Morning Briefing:

What wedding? Apparently the only person left in the world who hasn't heard about Paris Hilton's plans to marry Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis is the groom's father, Grigoris Kasidokostas. The New York Post reports that during the couple's recent jaunt to Greece, Latsis never broached the subject with his family. Kasidokostas comments, "If he hasn't discussed this with his own father, how serious could it be? That should tell you the whole story." Indeed, skeptics have long suspected that the Paris/Paris engagement has no legs, especially given the couple's youth and the icy reception they have received from the Latsis clan. Kasidokostas, for his part, is eager to depict the relationship as a naive bit of play-acting on the part of two kids. "[Paris] is much too young to even consider a subject like marriage," Kasidokostas told the Post. What's more, he says "recent reports that Latsis plunked down $12 million for a Beverly Hills nest for the lovebirds and bought Hilton a $5 million ring are ridiculous," as the "$7.5 billion Latsis family fortune is still entirely under the control of Latsis's mother, Mariana." So now, Hilton may have to wait a bit longer before making the leap. "[Paris] doesn't have a lot of experience with women," Mr. Kasidokostas said of his son. But if in a few years he is still interested in Ms. Hilton, Kasidokostas says he "would have no problem with it." "If Paris Hilton really loves my son, she'll have to be patient." (New York Post)

Hudson's hubby off the hook: Too bad Jude Law didn't marry Kate Hudson. The actress recently confessed that she thinks monogamy is not a natural behavior. "Absolutely it can be done," she told Access Hollywood. "But, do I believe it's realistic? No, I don't. I believe that we as people have the power to make it happen." That said, the lithesome Ms. Hudson has no plans to play around on her own husband of five years, rocker Chris Robinson from the Black Crows. "I will not disrespect my husband and stray," she explains. And what if Mr. Robinson should develop some wandering ways? Hudson is matter of fact. "You know what? ... If for some reason that's what he has to go do, I just don't want to know. As long as things are good in our house, please just don't get caught." (MSNBC)

Dr. Phil "gets real" good deal: Dr. Phil McGraw, the tough-talking Texas therapist who came to fame as a frequent guest on the Oprah show, has signed a whopping $75 million contract with King World that will keep his daily syndicated talk show on the air until at least 2014. "Dr. Phil," now in its third season, is second only to "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in the tight race for daytime ratings. But does Dr. Phil have what it takes to maintain his position as Oprah's media heir for nine more years? As the doctor himself might say, "Get real." "Oprah has lasted all these years because she comes across as your best friend," says Mediaweek's Marc Berman. "He's a therapist. Do you really need to be in therapy for 20 years?" (Fox News)

The name game: With her due date fast approaching, it seems Britney Spears has started squabbling with Kevin Federline about what to name their poor child. Sources report that Spears is sold on the name Charlie, especially after seeing "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," but that Federline is insistent that they name their son Kevin Jr. A friend of the couple tells Britain's Daily Star, "Kevin loves the idea of naming the child after himself. But Britney has dug her heels in ... She feels Charlie is a great name for both sexes and her little sister Jamie Lynn agrees." Who will win this battle of wills? A bunch of online bookmakers have already put odds on it: Charlie (8-1), Esther (10-1), Shar (100-1), and, of course, Cheetos (500-1). Care to make a wager? (Talk Entertainment, Radar Online)

Also: They talk a big game about "building a family," but Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were more than happy to ditch their kids for a bit of R&R at an Arizona spa last Monday. London's Mirror reports, "The couple got shot of Angelina's adopted kids Maddox and Zahara and hopped over to Arizona's deluxe Westin Kierland Resort from Brad's Malibu home" where they "they had deep-tissue massages and some steam treatments, after which they retired to their suite and weren't seen again all night" ... Though Drew Barrymore recently warned Lindsay Lohan about the perils of a hard-partying youth, it seems Ms. Barrymore hasn't entirely lost her taste for the lifestyle herself. A few days ago, the actress was seen at a London nightspot, looking "tired and emotional," after an evening of overindulgence with boyfriend and Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti. A source reports that Barrymore was "guzzling cocktails and champagne at the club until 4 am" and seemed "determined to carry on with the party in the cab back to her hotel" ... Michael Pena, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Maria Bello have signed on to star in Oliver Stone's upcoming movie about the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The actors join Nicolas Cage, who has already agreed to play one of the lead roles as a Port Authority police officer. The script is reportedly based on the story of two officers who became trapped during rescue efforts after the twin towers collapsed. Stone expects the film will be released next year, but it is not yet titled ... Statuesque actress Nicole Kidman claims she'd really much rather be "short and curvy." Though she stands 5-foot-11, Kidman says she envies her adopted daughter Isabella's petite figure. "[Isabella] is 5 ft. 2 inches and curvy," says the actress. "She's everything I [always] wanted to be" ... Charlize Theron may soon be strolling down the aisle, reportedly planning to marry actor Stuart Townsend later this summer at their Malibu home. In Touch Weekly reveals, "It's so hush hush that they have sworn everyone to absolute secrecy and haven't revealed the exact date or location yet ... But it will definitely be in the Los Angeles area, within a month or possibly even sooner."

Turn On:

The Fix will be on vacation next week, but you shouldn't miss "Home of the Brave," an amazing new documentary that takes viewers deep into investigation of the death of Montgomery, Ala., marcher Viola Liuzzo. Part of Court TV's "In Pursuit of Justice" initiative and narrated by Stockard Channing, "Home" will make its small screen premiere Monday night at 10 p.m. EDT.

-- Sarah Karnasiewicz

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By Salon Staff

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