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Celebrity News, Scandals and Gossip
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Bale Not Charged
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Christian Bale will not face charges relating to an alleged assault on his mother and sister at the Dorchester Hotel on July 20, British prosecutors said. The country's Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement that there was insufficient evidence to afford a "realistic prospect of conviction" and ordered the police not to take any further action in the case. British media had reported that Bale's mother and sister told police he assaulted them at the hotel a day before attending the European premiere of his film "The Dark Knight." Bale has denied the accusation. It was reported that the police waited a day to question Bale to allow him time to attend the premiere of the film in London. Bale was questioned for several hours at a police station before being released on bail. Prosecutors said the decision not to pursue the case was based in part on the feelings of Bale's mother and sister. While it "treats all incidents which take place in a domestic context seriously, it is important that the views of complainants are also taken into account when making decisions in such cases," prosecutors said. Bale has repeatedly refused to comment on the incident beyond a statement released by his lawyers denying the assault allegation. His family has also declined to comment, saying the issue was a personal matter.
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Isaac Hayes Dies
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Isaac Hayes, the baldheaded, baritone-voiced soul crooner who laid the groundwork for disco and whose 'Theme From Shaft' won both Academy and Grammy awards, died Sunday afternoon after he collapsed near a treadmill, authorities said. He was 65. Hayes was pronounced dead at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis an hour after he was found by a family member, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said. The cause of death was not immediately known. With his muscular build, shiny head and sunglasses, Hayes cut a striking figure. His music, which came to be known as urban-contemporary, paved the way for disco as well as romantic crooners. In his spoken-word introductions and interludes, Hayes was essentially rapping before there was rap. His career hit another high in 1997 when he became the voice of Chef, the sensible school cook and devoted ladies man on the animated TV show "South Park.""Isaac Hayes embodies everything that's soul music," Collin Stanback, an A&R executive at Stax, said. "When you think of soul music you think of Isaac Hayes, the expression, the sound and the creativity that goes along with it." Hayes was about to begin work on a new album for Stax, the soul record label he helped build to legendary status. And he had recently finished work on a movie called "Soul Men" in which he played himself, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac, who died on Saturday. Steve Shular, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said authorities received a 911 call after Hayes' wife and young son and his wife's cousin returned home from the grocery store and found him collapsed on the floor. A sheriff's deputy administered CPR until paramedics arrived."The treadmill was running but he was unresponsive lying on the floor," Shular said. The album 'Hot Buttered Soul' made Hayes a star in 1969. His shaven head, gold chains and sunglasses gave him a compelling visual image. A self-taught musician, he was hired in 1964 by Stax Records of Memphis as a backup pianist, working as a session musician for Otis Redding and others. He also played saxophone. In the 1960s, he began writing songs, establishing a songwriting partnership with David Porter.The 'Theme From Shaft,' a No. 1 hit in 1971 from the film "Shaft" starring Richard Roundtree."That was like the shot heard round the world," Hayes said in the 1999 interview.At the Oscar ceremony in 1972, Hayes performed the song wearing an eye-popping amount of gold and received a standing ovation. He won an Academy Award for the song and was nominated for another one for the score. The song and score also won him two Grammys.Hayes was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
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Bernie Mac Dies
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Bernie Mac, the actor and comedian who teamed up in the casino heist caper "Ocean's Eleven" and gained a prestigious Peabody Award for his sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show," died Saturday at age 50."Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles. Mac suffered from sarcoidosis, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease. Mac worked his way to Hollywood success from an impoverished upbringing on Chicago's South Side. He began doing standup as a child, and his film career started with a small role as a club doorman in the Damon Wayans comedy "Mo' Money" in 1992. In 1996, he appeared in the Spike Lee drama "Get on the Bus." He was one of "The Original Kings of Comedy" in the 2000 documentary. Mac went on to star in the hugely popular "Ocean's Eleven" franchise with Brad Pitt and George Clooney. Comedian Carl Reiner, who also appeared in "Ocean's Eleven" and its two sequels, said Saturday he was "in utter shock" because he thought Mac was improving. "He was just so alive. I can't believe he's gone," he said.He drew critical and popular acclaim with his television series "The Bernie Mac Show," which aired more than 100 episodes from 2001 to 2006. The show garnered Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for Mac. He also was nominated for a Grammy award for best comedy album in 2001 along with his "The Original Kings of Comedy" co-stars, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley and Cedric The Entertainer. Mac was born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough on Oct. 5, 1957, in Chicago. He grew up on the city's South Side, living with his mother and grandparents. His grandfather was the deacon of a Baptist church. In his 2004 memoir, "Maybe You Never Cry Again," Mac wrote about having a poor childhood and a strict, no-nonsense upbringing. "I came from a place where there wasn't a lot of joy," Mac said. "I decided to try to make other people laugh when there wasn't a lot of things to laugh about."
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Freeman Still Serious
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Morgan Freeman remains in serious condition with a broken arm and elbow after rescuers used a jaws-of-life machine to free him and a passenger from their car after it crashed on a stretch of rural Mississippi Delta highway over the weekend. Freeman and his passenger, Demaris Meyer were taken to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis following the accident in Tallahatchie County. State troopers said the car careened off the highway and overturned twice before landing upright in a ditch. Donna Lee, Freeman's publicist, said he underwent surgery late Monday, and has a broken arm, broken elbow and minor shoulder damage "but is in good spirits." Lee said "He is expected to make a full recovery." Kathy Stringer, a spokeswoman at the Memphis hospital about 90 miles north of the accident, said that no information, other than the listing of serious, would be released about Freeman. Freeman's home is near Charleston and it is about 5 miles from the accident. Bill Rogers said that he saw the accident scene from his house on Mississippi Highway 32."I was watching TV, and I heard the skid," Rogers said. "I looked out the window and saw the car flipping head over end." Rogers said he hurried to the scene and immediately recognized Freeman. He said he quickly returned to his home and notified authorities. When he returned to the accident scene, Meyer seemed alert, but Freeman "wasn't totally coherent," he said.
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LaBeouf's Hand 'Crushed'
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Shia LaBeouf's hand was "crushed" in the wreck that flipped his truck and he still runs the risk of infection and other complications after a four-hour surgery, his lawyer said.LaBeoff was injured in a late-night crash in West Hollywood that authorities have since said was the fault of the other driver. The statement from lawyer Michael Norris said the driver may have been speeding and not paying attention. LaBeouf was hospitalized and cited for drunken driving in the wreck, the impact of which flipped his truck after he tried to make a left turn around 3 a.m."Shia's left hand was crushed," read a statement released from Michael Norris, a lawyer for LaBeouf. It added that LaBeouf's left arm was immobilized and that the production of the "Transformers" sequel has been modified to accommodate his recovery.He has been recovering at a Los Angeles hospital since the surgery and "will need regular medical supervision until his doctors clear him to return to work," Norris' statement said. "We are hopeful that his return will be sooner rather than later." LaBeouf and his attorneys have cooperated with police, the statement said, adding that "the Sheriff's Department has now released information that the other vehicle ran the red light while striking Shia's truck." Norris also said independent investigators "received information that suggests that the other driver may have been traveling upwards of 50 miles per hour, and that said driver may not have been looking forward at the time of the accident." Sheriff's officials have said they won't release the other driver's name until after a report is issued, which could take a few weeks while the official investigation is conducted. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said LaBeouf was not at fault and that the other driver apparently ran a red light."We are very appreciative, again, of the patience that everyone has shown us, and of the many concerned citizens who have stepped forward to provide information regarding this collision," the statement said.In the meantime, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" director, Michael Bay claims that LaBeouf was not drunk when he was involved in a collision that resulted in his truck flipping upside down. "You're gonna see, that's gonna go away," Bay said. "That's fresh news. He was not drunk. He was drinking hours and hours before."
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LaBeouf Arrested
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"Indiana Jones" star Shia LaBeouf was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Sunday after an early morning car accident in which he was injured, police said. "LaBeouf was the driver of a vehicle that was involved in a 3 a.m. collision in Hollywood," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Wolf said."It was immediately apparent to officers responding on the scene that LaBeouf was intoxicated and he was subsequently placed under arrest," Wolf said. "LaBeouf was being treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for injuries to his head, left hand and knee," Wolf said. A female passenger in LaBeouf's car and the driver of the other vehicle were not seriously injured. LaBeouf was booked for a misdemeanor DUI and released. Wolf did not know the identities of LeBeouf's passenger or the other driver. The accident occurred when LaBeouf tried to make a left turn. A collision occurred and LaBeouf's car rolled over. The cause of the crash remained under investigation.LaBeouf's representatives have confirmed he had to have surgery on the damaged hand, and will be absent from the set of the "Transformers" sequel for at least one month.The spokesperson says, "Attorneys for Mr. LaBeouf confirm that an automobile accident involving an additional party occurred early morning in Los Angeles on July 27, 2008. Shia is currently recovering from extensive hand surgery with plans to return to work on the set of "Transformers 2" within one month. No further comment will be issued at this time." LaBeouf has had previous brushes with the law. In November, he was charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing after a drunken tirade in a Chicago Walgreens. Prosecutors dropped charges because Walgreens Co. and a security company indicated they didn't want to continue the case.In February he received a ticket for illegal smoking, and a bench warrant was briefly issued for his arrest after he and his lawyer failed to show up for a court appearance regarding the ticket.
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Damage Control
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In a town overrun with young stars behaving badly, Shia LaBeouf has appeared as something of a Hollywood golden boy, one of the industry's few bona fide megastars in the making. He's been a sought-after actor for almost half of his 22-year-old life and a Steven Spielberg favorite, carefully groomed for stardom. But with his arrest Sunday in Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, LaBeouf's rising star earned its first significant blemish and cause for damage control. LaBeouf was arrested 3 a.m. in West Hollywood after his pickup collided with another vehicle, rolling the truck over. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Wolf said it was "immediately apparent" to officers on the scene that LaBeouf was intoxicated. With him was Isabel Lucas, an Australian actress who plays a supporting role in the "Transformers" sequel now filming, according to a source close to the movie's production company. She was uninjured, as was the driver of the other car. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said that detectives have determined that the accident wasn't LaBeouf's fault and that the other driver apparently ran a red light. The most immediate effect may be the production schedule for the "Transformers" sequel. LeBeouf underwent surgery on his left hand and plans to return to work within a month, his publicist, Melissa Kates, said. LaBeouf has had brushes with the law before but they were relatively harmless incidents that only enhanced the perception of his playful edginess. A drunken confrontation with guards at a Walgreens in Chicago late last year led to misdemeanor criminal trespassing charges. The charge was dropped because the drug store didn't want to pursue the matter. In a lighthearted retelling of the incident to David Letterman on the "Late Show," LaBeouf said: "Drinking and driving is one thing, but drinking and shopping ... it's just as bad."
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No 'Wardrobe Malfunction' Fine
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A federal appeals court threw out a $550,000 indecency fine against CBS Corp. for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson's breast-baring "wardrobe malfunction." The three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Federal Communications Commission "acted arbitrarily and capriciously" in issuing the fine for the fleeting image of nudity. The 90 million people watching the Super Bowl heard Justin Timberlake sing, "Gonna have you naked by the end of this song," as he reached for Jackson's bustier. The court found that the FCC deviated from its nearly 30-year practice of fining indecent broadcast programming only when it was so "pervasive as to amount to 'shock treatment' for the audience.""Like any agency, the FCC may change its policies without judicial second-guessing," the court said. "But it cannot change a well-established course of action without supplying notice of and a reasoned explanation for its policy departure." The 3rd Circuit judges also ruled that the FCC deviated from its long-held approach of applying identical standards to words and images when reviewing complaints of indecency."The Commission's determination that CBS's broadcast of a nine-sixteenths of one second glimpse of a bare female breast was actionably indecent evidenced the agency's departure from its prior policy," the court found. "Its orders constituted the announcement of a policy change, that fleeting images would no longer be excluded from the scope of actionable indecency." In a statement, CBS said it hoped the decision "will lead the FCC to return to the policy of restrained indecency enforcement it followed for decades.""This is an important win for the entire broadcasting industry because it recognizes that there are rare instances, particularly during live programming, when it may not be possible to block unfortunate fleeting material, despite best efforts," the network said. The FCC had argued that Jackson's nudity, although fleeting, was graphic and explicit and CBS should have been forewarned. In challenging the fine, CBS said that "fleeting, isolated or unintended" images should not automatically be considered indecent. The FCC said Jackson and Timberlake were employees of CBS and that the network should have to pay for their "willful" actions, given its lack of oversight.
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Bale Arrested
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'Batman' star Christian Bale was arrested over allegations of assaulting his mother and sister at his at London hotel, police and British media said. There were reports that Bale's mother and sister complained they were assaulted by him at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night, a day before the European premiere of his latest film, "The Dark Knight." His mother and sister made the allegation at a local police station in southern England on Monday, Britain's Press Association news agency said. It later said Bale had been arrested, citing "police sources." Asked whether Bale was in custody, a police spokesman did not refer to him by name but said: "A 34-year-old man attended a central London police station this morning by appointment and was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault." The spokesman spoke anonymously in line with force policy and refused to go into more detail. British police do not name suspects before they are formally charged.The police said in a statement that the man had been released on bail pending further inquiries and told to return on an unspecified date in September.Bale's London representative issued a statement, "Christian Bale attended a London Police station today, on a voluntary basis, in order to assist with an allegation that had been made against him to the police by his mother and sister. Mr. Bale, who denies the allegation, co-operated throughout, gave his account in full of the events in question, and has left the station without any charge being made against him by the Police."The police didn't question Bale Monday because they didn't want to interfere with the premiere of the movie.In "The Dark Knight," Bale reprises the role of wealthy playboy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego Batman. The film, which also stars the late Heath Ledger as Batman's nemesis 'The Joker,' took in a record $158.4 million at the box office in its opening weekend in the U.S.
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Andy Dick Arrested
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Andy Dick was arrested for investigation of drug use and sexual battery after he allegedly pulled down a teenager's top, police said. Dick was released from a detention center after posting $5,000 bail. Police were called to the Buffalo Wild Wings in Murrieta at about 1:13 a.m. to investigate a report of "an intoxicated male" urinating outside the bar and causing a disturbance, according to a police statement. When they arrived, a 17-year-old girl told police that she was outside when Dick left the bar, walked up, "grabbed her tank top and bra and pulled them down and exposed her breasts," the statement said. Friends escorted Dick to a truck, which officers stopped at a nearby shopping center police said. Dick was identified by the teenager and a witness, police said. Marijuana and the drug Xanax were found in his pants pockets during a search and he appeared "extremely intoxicated," police said. Dick was booked at Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor sexual battery and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Dick has a reputation for crude behavior. He has been reported to have exposed himself to audiences at least twice. He was forcibly removed from the set of the show "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last year after he repeatedly touched guest Ivanka Trump without her permission. Also last year, Dick was cited in Columbus, Ohio, for urinating on the sidewalk. A comedy club owner in the city said Dick also made inappropriate comments while onstage, groped patrons, took women into the men's room and urinated on the floor and on at least one person. In 1999, Dick was arrested for possession of cocaine and marijuana after driving his car into a telephone pole in Hollywood. He pleaded guilty but the charges were dismissed after he went into a diversion program.
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Jolie'sTwins
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Angelina Jolie has given birth to a girl and a boy, and dad Brad Pitt was by her side. The obstetrician who delivered the twins, Dr. Michel Sussmann, said the babies, Jolie and Pitt "are doing marvelously well." Jolie gave birth to a boy, Knox Leon, and a girl, Vivienne Marcheline, by Caesarean section in Nice, France. Jolie had a local anesthetic and was conscious throughout, the doctor said. Pitt was in the delivery room at the seaside Lenval hospital as the babies were born one minute apart, Sussman said, the boy weighing just over 5 pounds and the girl 5 pounds. "He was perfectly calm and everything went well," Sussmann said."He was very happy. The emotion was very strong for him," the doctor added. "Angelina Jolie was speaking, was laughing with her husband. They were happy. The mother, the babies, the father are doing marvelously well," he said. Sussmann said the Caesarean was moved forward from its originally planned date "for medical reasons" so the babies could be born "in the best conditions." The doctor did not give details. He said Jolie is expected to stay in the hospital for a few more days and that she now needs rest. Though the lenses of the world's paparazzi had been trained on maternity wards across the French Riviera, Jolie managed to slip unobserved into the clinic, reportedly arriving by helicopter on the hospital's rooftop helipad. Pitt was seen coming and going after Jolie"s hospitalization became public.Paparazzi and curious sightseers gathered outside the hospital in Nice on Sunday, hoping for glimpses and shots of Pitt. Local newspaper, Nice Matin, which first broke news of the birth, reported Sunday that the couple have sold rights for the first photo of their newly enlarged family to an unnamed publication and that the proceeds would go to charity. The first photos of the new twins are expected to bring millions of dollars.
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Kidman Has Baby Girl
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A publicist for Keith Urban says Nicole Kidman has given birth to a baby girl in Nashville, Tennessee. In a statement, the publicist said: "Nicole and Keith Urban are delighted to announce that Nicole Kidman gave birth to a baby girl in the United States. Sunday Rose Kidman Urban weighed 6 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces. Husband Keith was by Nicole's side and mother and baby are very well." The baby is the first for Kidman and Urban. She has two children from her marriage to Tom Cruise.
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McConaughey A Dad
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Matthew McConaughey and his girlfriend, Camila Alves are "elated" after the birth of their first child, a baby boy. Brazilian model Camila Alves gave birth to a seven pound, four ounce son at 6:22 p.m. in Los Angeles on Monday night, McConaughey's representative Alan Nierob confirmed. In a statement, McConaughey says, "Camila and I were side by side the entire time. We are both tired and elated, and are so happy to have created the greatest miracle in the world, having a child and making a family. Now comes the greatest adventure, raising one, together."
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Judges Issue Warrants
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Earl 'DMX' Simmons has again been arrested on outstanding warrants. Maricopa County Sheriff's Department spokesman Aaron Douglas says DMX was taken into custody after arriving from Florida. DMX is being held for driving with a suspended license and a $10,000 bond stemming from previous drug charges. Douglas says DMX had failed to appear in court and warrants were issued. His lawyer in Phoenix, Cameron Morgan, declined comment.DMX has had a recent string of run-ins with the law. He was arrested last week in Miami on charges of attempting to purchase cocaine and attempting to purchase marijuana.Two arrest warrants have also been issued for DMX after he failed to appear at two separate court hearings. He was due to appear in Yonkers City Court, in New York State to answer charges of driving with a suspended license, stemming from an October arrest.In another case, DMX was a no-show at White Plains City Court, in New York State, for charges of speeding, changing lanes dangerously, driving without a seat belt and using a suspended license following a June arrest. White Plains Judge Brian Hansbury gave DMX the time to appear in court, but after he failed to show up, he issued a warrant. Meanwhile, Yonkers Judge Charles Wood was also issuing a warrant when DMX failed to appear in his court.DMX's lawyer Murray Richman, says, "In truth, I do not know where he is. Why would he be hiding out from a damn traffic infraction?"He failed to appear in court last summer to answer the June 2006 charges and an arrest warrant was issued. DMX was jailed on June 28 last year, but released on $2,500 bail.
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Boy George Cancels
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Boy George's plan for a North American tour has run into problems. He has been forced to canceled his summer plans after U.S. authorities denied him a visa to enter the country.George had planned to officially kick off his 25-city tour in Aspen, Colo., on July 10, and was to throw in a free concert at the New York City Department of Sanitation's Family Day in August. He worked for the department in 2006 while performing court-ordered community service in a drug case. George's managers issued a statement saying he had been refused a visa because he's awaiting trial in London on charges that he falsely imprisoned a man. The charges stem from a report in April that a 28-year-old man claimed he was chained and threatened at George's London apartment, where he had gone to work as a photo model. George has pleaded not guilty. "I was really hoping that the issue would be resolved and that some kind soul at the U.S. Visa Office would realize that if the police in Britain placed no restrictions on my movements, that should have been good enough for them," George said in a statement. "I am very sorry that I will not see all my American fans this year, but I wish them a happy and healthy Fourth of July. I include the Visa Office in those good wishes and realize they are doing a very difficult job and I just got unlucky," he said. George intends to reschedule his North American tour for next winter. He'll continue his concert tours of South America and the United Kingdom in September and October.
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