Morning Briefing:
Still no answers for Anna Nicole: A toxicology report for Daniel Smith has come back negative, giving investigators even fewer possibilities to explain Anna Nicole Smith's son's sudden death. A second autopsy performed on Daniel has also ruled out cancer, heart disease and pulmonary embolism. Meanwhile, officials in the Bahamas say the coroner in charge of the first autopsy has been reassigned, and they're overhauling the country's system for handling medical inquests after complaints that Smith's case was given preferential treatment. (E! Online, Associated Press)
Diaz almost gets clipped: Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake were leaving a friend's house in Hollywood after midnight Wednesday when a paparazzo reportedly jumped out of the bushes to snap some photos -- which may or may not be these images of a very angry Timberlake -- before speeding off in his car and almost running over Diaz. The actress has now filed a police report alleging assault with a deadly weapon, though Los Angeles police say there are no suspects yet and no arrests have been made. (Associated Press, X17)
Biting the hand that feeds? The New York Times has an interesting little story about the cozy relationship between boutique stores and celebrity weeklies in today's Thursday Styles. The Times describes how the system should work: Retailers pitch their celeb connections to the glossies, "the magazines, in turn, satisfy readers' hunger for knowing how the stars shop, eat and live; the paparazzi sell pictures; the celebrities get exposure; and the retailer, of course, attracts shoppers." But the balance has been thrown off by Frasier Ross, owner of Los Angeles boutique Kitson, who recently filed a lawsuit against Us Weekly for allegedly blackballing his store -- for instance, running a picture of Evangeline Lilly at a party at the store last July that didn't name Kitson as the site. Martin Kaplan, associate dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication in L.A., tells the Times that the case shows how celebrity journalism "has been completely appropriated by marketing. If you just see the writing and the covers and the way swag is distributed to stars by merchants, the whole thing is a kind of free for all." (N.Y. Times)
Also:
Michael Jackson's latest business plan reportedly revolves around building a leprechaun theme park on the Emerald Isle. "He loves the whole idea of leprechauns and the magic and myths of Ireland," a source tells the Irish Daily Mirror. "He's always wanted to open his own theme park and he thinks Ireland is the perfect place and it will all be built around the leprechaun theme." (The Scoop) ... Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have announced they're giving $1 million to each of two humanitarian groups, Global Action for Children and Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders. (Associated Press) ... Justin Timberlake's "FutureSex/LoveSounds" tops this week's Billboard 200 chart, selling 684,000 copies in its first week and giving Timberlake his first No. 1 record. (Hollywood Reporter) ... Madonna's "Confessions" tour wraps up in Tokyo on Thursday. The 60 shows of the tour have brought in $193.7 million, making it the top-grossing tour of a female act of all time. (Reuters)
Money Quote:
Paris Hilton, being asked by L.A.P.D. officers what she remembers of the night her friend "Girls Gone Wild" producer Joe Francis was robbed: "Like I really ... I don't remember. I'm not, like, that smart." (Dateline via Page Six)
Turn On:
Thursday brings the season premieres of "My Name Is Earl" (NBC, 8 p.m. EDT), "The Office" (NBC, 8:30 p.m. EDT), "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC, 9 p.m. EDT), "CSI" (CBS, 9 p.m. EDT) and "ER" (NBC, 10 p.m. EDT). Two brand-new shows also kick off: "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams' new show, "Six Degrees" (ABC, 10 p.m. EDT), and "Shark" (CBS, 10 p.m. EDT), starring James Woods.
On the Talk Shows:
Larry King (CNN, 9 p.m. EDT): James McGreevey
Charlie Rose (PBS, check local listings): Michelle Bachelet, president of Chile, and NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
David Letterman (CBS, 11:30 p.m. EDT): Ted Turner, ventriloquist Jeff Dunham and Walter, Fergie
Jay Leno (NBC, 11:35 p.m. EDT): Teri Hatcher, Jon Heder, Kenny Chesney
Conan O'Brien (NBC, 12:35 a.m. EDT): Jennifer Love Hewitt, John Krasinski, Ben Kweller
Craig Ferguson (CBS, 12:35 a.m. EDT): Chazz Palminteri, Kerry Washington, French Kicks
Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, 12:05 a.m. EDT): Felicity Huffman, Jet Li, Human League
Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 11 p.m. EDT): CC Goldwater
Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. EDT): Daniel Ellsberg
-- Scott Lamb
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