Morning Briefing:
There can only be one Paris: Paris Hilton's recent line in the press, going on about how much she loved staying in with her fianci and was planning to give up the party-girl lifestyle that seemed to be her one and only actual talent, did seem a bit forced. So it's not a total surprise that Paris announced on Sunday that her wedding with the otherParis is off -- the engagement is broken and the ring is just a hulking $2 million worth of now-meaningless stones. Her reasons for breaking it off come down to just not being ready: "I feel I'm just not ready for marriage. I have seen the breakups between people who love each other and rush into getting married too quickly -- and I do not want to make that mistake." But she was plenty ready to slather her brand new ex in praise: "I love Paris. He is my best friend and it will be that way forever. This man treated me as no man ever has. We will also be business partners and have movies in the works." (Reuters)
Pitt and Aniston officially, finally, thankfully over: Though they've been essentially single for almost a year now, the Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston divorce became law on Sunday, six months after Jen filed for a split by citing irreconcilable differences. It's been a long road, filled with teary interviews and the spectral presence of Angelina Jolie, but at least they can look back on making some good real estate decisions along the way: At the same time the divorce became final, the former couple put their Beverly Hills estate up for sale, with an asking price of $28 million -- they bought it in 2001 for half the price, $13.5 million. (AP, BBC)
Finally, the other shoe drops: After weeks in which it seemed like drugs never harmed anything except Kate Moss' career, Pete Doherty is finally reaping a bit of what he hath seemingly sown. In a bit of police work that would have made Sherlock Holmes proud -- authorities said they "had acted on intelligence that people were suspected of using class A drugs in the town" -- police arrested the man who dated Moss during her fall from grace during a raid following a performance by his band, Babyshambles, in Shrewsbury, Britain. Sniffing dogs and cops in assault gear descended on the band's touring vans and equipment after the show -- Littl'ans, a group who opened for Babyshambles at the show, described the raid like this: "At 1:30 am after leaving their gig in Shrewsbury, Littl'ans' bus was raided in an SAS style bust by West Mercia police. The bus was stopped in the middle of the road just outside the town centre by ten police officers in combat clothing and truncheons drawn." The famously drug abusing Doherty was arrested and released the next morning, but just said the whole thing was "a pain." "It's just some sort of mistake, that's all," he told reporters as he left the station. (BBC, NME)
Also:
In related Kate Moss news, London police searched the west London recording studio where the images of the supermodel snorting cocaine were reportedly shot, but haven't released any details about what they found Not content with simply running her own magazine, company and two TV shows, Martha Stewart is working on an idea for a third TV program, sort of a fixer-upper show mated with rehab reality TV: six women coming off welfare, recovering from bankruptcy or just out of drug rehabilitation will learn to renovate a 125-year-old house -- and learn "valuable life skills" along the way! Says Martha, "Our new home improvement series will inspire and inform, while mentoring and teaching valuable life skills, from repairing brickwork, laying flooring, painting rooms and installing a functional and lovely kitchen" He may still be fighting against gay marriage, but at least Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has finally stepped in to protect celebrities against the fearsome threat of predatory paparazzi. A bill signed into law by the Governator last week triples the amount people can win if assaulted by paparazzi photographing them, and will also let them go after the money made off any photographs resulting from the incident. Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez initiated the measure, and says, "This bill hits the paparazzi where it hurts -- the wallet. Money is their motivation, so taking away their money will be the solution" It's been two years since Roy of "Siegfried & Roy" was attacked and nearly killed by his albino tiger, Montecore. Now 61, he's able to walk short distances unaided but says he still visits his tigers regularly. "I get comfort from my animals. I go to the Secret Garden once a week and visit all my animals, at the Mirage," he says. "It is a comfort zone" Playwright August Wilson, who wrote "Fences" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," died at age 60 of cancer on Saturday in Seattle.
Turn On:
Two different shows featuring two different former teenage stars who've made good: Jason Bateman (from "Family Matters") in "Arrested Development" on Fox at 8 p.m. EDT, and Neil Patrick Harris (once of "Doogie Howser, M.D.") in "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS at 8:30 p.m. EDT.
-- Scott Lamb
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