The Fix

Spears denies marital breakup, defends parenting style, gets sued by paparazzo. Plus: Naomi Campbell's anger explained?

Published June 12, 2006 1:30PM (EDT)

Morning Briefing:
Britney publicly affirms her trash-tastic marriage: To the disappointment of Kevin Federline naysayers everywhere, Britney Spears says that she's not getting divorced, and denies that she has banished her husband from the bedroom to the basement, as Us Weekly so loudly proclaimed last week. In an interview with "Today" host Matt Lauer that will run on Thursday, Spears also says the paparazzi have turned her into an "emotional wreck" and defends her skills as a parent, saying the she's "a good mom" and that she shouldn't be blamed for driving with her infant son in her lap: "I did it [too] with my dad. I'd sit on his lap and I drive. We're country." (Perez Hilton)

This must be irony: Meanwhile, Spears is being sued by one of the many paparazzi she blames for her emotional state. Cullen Reavley is suing Spears and her mother, Lynne, for injuries he sustained during a 2004 incident when the Spears women were trying to drive away from a pet store in Los Angeles. Reavley claims their SUV, piloted by Lynne, ran over his foot, causing injuries to his "head, neck, back, trunk and extremities, all of which have caused and continue to cause plaintiff great mental, physical and nervous pain and suffering," though in this photo, it looks like his ankle hurts more than anything else. Reavley is claiming unspecified damages in excess of $25,000. (TMZ)

Boys clean up at Tonys: With Julia Roberts appearing only as a presenter -- she didn't earn a nomination for her Broadway role -- this year's Tony Awards were again dominated by a few big shows, with "History Boys" winning best play and five other awards, and "Jersey Boys" taking home four awards, including best musical. "The Drowsy Chaperone," this year's other heavily nominated musical, won five awards, including best book and best original score, and former "Sex and the City" siren Cynthia Nixon won best performance by a leading actress in a play. You can see the full list of winners at the Tonys Web site. (Associated Press, Tonyawards.com)

Also:
The Hollywood romance between Mandy Moore and Zach Braff is reportedly kaput as of this weekend. (Perez Hilton) ... "Cars" topped this weekend's box office receipts, taking in $62.8 million on its debut, with "The Break-Up" coming in second with just over $20 million. (Box Office Mojo) ... They haven't officially made an announcement yet, but sources tell Star that Tobey Maguire's fiancée, Jennifer Meyer, is pregnant: "It's still early, so they aren't talking about it publicly yet, but they are really happy." (Star) ... Also expecting: Jason Bateman and his wife, Amanda. (Us Online)... As a part of the child porn case against R. Kelly, scheduled to go to trial this summer, a judge has ruled that the tape that allegedly shows Kelly having sex with a 13-year-old-girl will be screened in open court as evidence. (E! Online) ... Brace yourself for a new Menudo: The producers behind the Latin boy band that launched Ricky Martin's career have started auditions for another incarnation of the group. (Post Chronicle)

Money Quote:
Janice Dickinson reveals the shocking truth that supermodels aren't always kind, gentle creatures: "Supermodels are angry women ... Women are known to put ipecac syrup in other women's food to make them go poo poo ... I did it to Naomi [Campbell]; that's why she is so angry." (ContactMusic)

-- Scott Lamb

Turn On:
New shows "How to Get the Guy" (ABC, 10 p.m. EDT) and "Saved" (TNT, 10 p.m. EDT) premiere, while "Hell's Kitchen" (Fox, 8 p.m. EDT) and "The Closer" (TNT, 9 p.m. EDT) kick off new seasons, and "Monster Garage" (Discovery, 8 p.m. EDT) has its season finale. Also, A&E televises "Bud Light's Rock Paper Scissors Championship" (10 p.m. EDT), the culmination of a series of contests in bars across the country.

On the Talk Shows:
Charlie Rose (PBS, check local listings): Charlie Rose returns after a medical absence
David Letterman (CBS, 11:30 p.m. EDT): Paris Hilton, Will Shortz
Jay Leno (NBC, 11:35 p.m. EDT): Keanu Reeves, Joey Lauren Adams, Gnarls Barkley
Conan O'Brien (NBC, 12:35 a.m. EDT): Lindsay Lohan, Colin Hanks, Coldplay (repeat)
Craig Ferguson (CBS, 12:35 a.m. EDT): Sara Rue, Anthony Michael Hall, Secret Machines
Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 11 p.m. EDT): Thomas Friedman
Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. EDT): Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

-- Lamar Clarkson

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