Aruba Probing New Holloway Case Evidence

By MARGARET WEVER

ORANJESTAD, Aruba - Aruban authorities are investigating new evidence in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway provided by a Dutch crime reporter, prosecutors said Thursday.

Information from reporter Peter R. de Vries may help resolve what happened to the American teenager, who vanished during a May 2005 school vacation to the Dutch Caribbean island, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The statement did not say specifically what the new evidence was.

"This information may help considerably in the solution of the mystery of Natalee's disappearance," the prosecutor's office said. It "may shed a new light on the mode" in which she died and the "method by which her body disappeared."

De Vries's Web site said the evidence was gathered through "an ingenious hidden camera tactic" and would be revealed in a Dutch television program Sunday. It said the reporter traveled to Aruba last week to inform authorities of his findings.

De Vries had a testy exchange earlier this month during a televised interview in the Netherlands with Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch man who was a suspect in the case.

Van der Sloot, who was among the last people seen with Holloway, threw wine at De Vries after the reporter challenged his credibility.

Joseph Tacopina, a U.S. attorney for Van der Sloot, said it was irresponsible for prosecutors to make the announcement without describing their evidence.

"They act quite frankly like clowns," he said. "If they have a resolution, they should bring a case and stop talking about cryptic information."

Prosecutors dismissed their case against Van der Sloot and two other suspects last month, saying they lacked evidence to charge them or even prove a crime was committed. Authorities have said the case could be reopened if new evidence surfaces.

Holloway, of Alabama, disappeared the final night of her high school graduation trip. She was 18 at the time.

She was last seen leaving a bar with Van der Sloot and two Surinamese brothers, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, hours before she was due to board a flight home. The three men have been repeatedly detained as suspects but have denied any wrongdoing.

Shows won't air Ledger video

'ET,' 'Insider' decide to nix footage

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

"Entertainment Tonight" says it won't air a video it has acquired that shows the late Heath Ledger at a Hollywood party where drugs were apparently being taken.

The syndicated magazine's sister show, "The Insider," aired a "preview" of the video Wednesday that showed an unidentified man apparently snorting cocaine. The show said, however, that the video does not show Ledger doing drugs.

"Out of respect for Heath Ledger's family, `Entertainment Tonight' and `The Insider' have decided not to run the Heath Ledger video that has been circulating in the world media," said a posting on the Web sites Thursday.

Ledger, 28, died in his Manhattan apartment Jan. 22. The cause of his death will likely be known within days, after medical examiners complete toxicology tests.

Authorities suspect a possible drug overdose, but nothing conclusive has been determined. Several prescription drugs were found in the Manhattan apartment where the "Brokeback Mountain" actor's body was found.

"The Insider" ran a fairly extensive "preview" of the video Wednesday. It showed Ledger in the doorway of a room in the Chateau Marmont hotel where a party was taking place.

The video shows a man, his face blurred, seeming to snort cocaine from a table. Ledger said that he was "going to get serious (word bleeped) from my girlfriend" for being at the party.

It also shows him rolling cigarette paper. He was heard saying "I used to smoke five joints a day for 20 years." The show also quotes Drew Pinsky, star of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," saying he had seen the video and it was "heartbreaking."

Beyond the cigarette paper, the video shows Ledger taking a slug from a beer. There have been a number of media reports quoting people who said Ledger used drugs.

The Hollywood community put pressure on the syndicated programs not to air the material. A statement spread through Hollywood by Ledger's public relations firm called the video "shameful exploitation of the lowest kind."

It said that "Entertainment Tonight" purchased the video for "a large sum of money in the hopes of stirring up a salacious and exploitive story about Heath."

The PR firm, ID PR, also represents Ledger's "Brokeback Mountain" co-star Jake Gyllenhaal and stars like Robin Williams and Natalie Portman. For the syndicated magazine shows, access to stars is like oxygen.

Britney Spears’ parents fight with Sam Lutfi over medical care responsibilities

Britney Spears’ parents, Jamie and Lynn have been fighting with the troubled singer’s manager Sam Lutfi over who’s responsible for her medical care.

After Britney’s stay at Cedars earlier this month, she reportedly asked that her lawyers draft paperwork making it clear she did not want her parents involved in making medical decisions on her behalf. Her dad had was furious at the time, screaming and swearing at Lutfi - even pushing him in front of Britney.

After the fight with Lutfi, it was agreed that Britney’s parents would take responsibility for her medical treatment. TMZ.com reports that the doctors at UCLA, where Britney is on “5150 Hold”, are now “fully cooperating” with the parents in the treatment of the Toxic singer, however, the judge will need to sign an order to decide who has full control.

Sam Lutfi left the hospital before 4:00 AM; Jamie Spears also recently left.

By Owen Williams

Vet Assistant Has College Degree At Age 10!

Reporter: Keith Eldridge

Veterinarians at a Washington State vet clinic are amazed that one of their assistants can do the work she's doing, given her unique situation.

Here is a story about a very special young lady that knows exactly what she will be doing for the rest of her life.

Time for surgery at the South Bay Veterinary Hospital in Olympia.

Dr. Michelle Shoemaker is being assisted by Courtney Oliver, a certified veterinary assistant who just completed her college coursework.

It's hard to tell which ones which with their masks on.

But part way through the surgery it's clear who's who.

The really tiny one is Courtney.

At 10-years-old, she is still elementary school-aged, and has a college degree.

A 10-year-old with an on-line certification as a veterinarian assistant.

And in eight months Courtney had the same certification as her adult co-workers.

Courtney says she knew early in life this is what she wanted to do.

Dr. Shoemaker has been Courtney's mentor.

"She's amazing," exclaimed Dr. Shoemaker.

"She's a wonderful girl. Always been so bright, very very smart actually."

"Dr. Shoemaker and I are like twins," said Courtney.

"We just love animals. We just wanted to do this because this is our thing."

Despite all of her qualifications and despite her college degree, Courtney can't be here by herself. State law says that she's just too young.

But don't tell Courtney, this 10-year-old is too busy tending to the needs of these veterinary patients.

A drug lord's rise and fall is gripping

by Steve Hedgpeth/Star-Ledger StaffDOCUMENTARY: "Mr. Untouchable" Magnolia Home Entertainment. Single disc. $26.98. Rated R. Back in the Superfly '70s, Nicky Barnes and Frank Lucas were rival drug lords up in the Harlem.

Some three decades later, after Lucas has been to prison and Barnes is in hiding, the two are still competing, only this time it's via a pair of films released in 2007.

Filmmaker Marc Levin, who knows both men, calls it "a battle of the legacies."

Lucas' story is told in "American Gangster," a big-budget crime drama directed by Ridley Scott and starring Denzel Washington as Lucas and Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, a New Jersey cop-turned-prosecutor who helped bring Lucas down.

Meanwhile, Barnes, played by Cuba Gooding Jr. as a minor character in "American Gangster," is the title subject of Levin's "Mr. Untouchable," a documentary coming to DVD Tuesday.

The doc makes ample use of vintage news footage and photographs, period music, including Curtis Mayfield's "Pusher Man" from "Superfly," and interviews with Barnes' old criminal associates and various law enforcement operatives.

But the main draw is Leroy Antonio "Nicky" Barnes himself, even if the 73-year-old original gangster turned Witness Protection Program "retiree" is wreathed in shadow to protect him.

Despite the shadow, he still radiates arrogance and charisma, his bejeweled hands playing with a bullet as he speaks, his account of himself sprinkled with allusions to Machiavelli, whose ruthless how-to, "The Prince," he'd read in prison as a younger man and adopted as his credo.

And other, latterday Italians, as in New York Mafiosi, figured greatly in Barnes' life and criminal career. Barnes, who came from the proverbial humble beginnings and first got involved with drugs as a young man, made important mob connections during a stint in prison in the '60s.

When he got out, he set about becoming a heroin merchant in the wake of a power vacuum created by the 1968 death of the legendary Harlem crime boss Bumpy Johnson (played in "American Gangster" by Clarence Williams III).

In imitation of the Mafia, Barnes created the Council, an inner circle of hoods with names like Scrap and Jazz. Soon, his was a multimillion-dollar drug empire and Barnes styled around Harlem flaunting his wealth, power and loud '70s wardrobe.

He wound up on the cover of the New York Times Magazine and was dubbed "Mr. Untouchable" for his ability to beat any charges brought against him. But ultimately he was brought down by the DEA and entered the Witness Protection Program after giving up names. A man who was viewed by many as a hero, however misguided the adulation, became reviled as a "snitch," in street parlance.

Years later, Barnes was pursued again, this time by Levin and a woman who had never heard of Barnes until she moved to New York City from London in 2003. Mary-Jane Robinson became fascinated with Barnes' story and set out to produce "Mr. Untouchable," seeing in Barnes' rise and fall the tragedy of gripping drama.

Through contacts in law enforcement and other sources, Levin and Robinson eventually got in touch with Barnes, who initially wasn't interested.

"I knew he was working on his own book," says Levin. "Over a good year's period, we were rebuffed. He saw no reason to do the film."

However, two other films help changed his mind. One was "Slam," a Levin feature on the world of poetry slams that Barnes, a would-be poet himself, enjoyed. The other was "American Gangster."

"He'd gotten ahold of a script," says Levin, and Barnes hadn't liked what he'd read. Not only was the film too fanciful, it made him look like a chump. So he agreed to meet with Levin and Robinson "in Middle America in a hotel," according to Levin.

"Mr. Untouchable," one of whose producers is hip-hop mogul Damon Dash, and "American Gangster" were released around the same time. Levin, who grew up in Elizabeth and Maplewood, actually wound up attended a screening in New Jersey of "American Gangster" with Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts.

"¤'American Gangster' is presented (inaccurately)," says Levin. "You expect Hollywood to fictionalize; the way Nicky is portrayed is the Hollywood version. We try to present it as Nicky telling his own story."

At one point, the two films intersected when a scene for "American Gangster" was being filmed on the same New York street where Robinson has her office.

Recalls Robinson, "We'd been wanting to reach out to Frank Lucas. So I just walked down on to the set and said, 'He's expecting me.' They took me at my word. He was in a wheelchair surrounded by his heavies. When I told him about Nicky, he was incredibly excited. He was calling Denzel (Washington) over."

Eventually, Robinson and Levin arranged for a reunion of Barnes and Lucas, in a phone call that's included as an extra on the "Mr. Untouchable" DVD. If producer and director were expecting fireworks from the two old rivals, that's not what happened.

"They were two old Army buddies or something," says Robinson.

Adds Levin, "These guys are both free somehow. They're overwhelmed that they survived. Here's two (drug) kingpins talking about two movies coming out. The mood was like, 'Who can believe this?'"

Chere Rhodes, Girlfriend to Max Baer, Jr., Dies After Shooting Herself

Atlanta, GA 1/31/2008 04:05 PM GMT (FINDITT)

Chere Rhodes, the girlfriend of actor Max Baer, Jr., died Tuesday after reportedly shooting herself.

Rhodes' suicide attempt occured last Thursday while the couple was in Lake Tahoe. Baer found Rhodes with a single shotgun wound to her chest and reportedly called authorities. Rhodeswas flown by helicopter to Renown Regional Medical Center.

Police reports say that there was a hand written note that authorities found citing that they were having relationship problems.

Rhodes was placed on life support. Her family took her off life support on Sunday.

Police say they are still investigating, but no foul play is suspected.

Baer, 70, is best known for his role as Jethro Modine in the television hit "The Beverly Hillbillies". Baer is the son of former heavyweight champion Max Baer, who was portrayed in the movie "Cinderella Man" starring Russell Crowe.

Rhodes, 30, was a Penthouse swimwear model often appearing in bathing suits and lingerie advertisements. She appeared in promotional material for Miller, Budweiser, Casadores, and is pictured in three pinup calendars. Rhodes had two children, a son and a daughter.

befound@finditt.com

Tom Ready To Cruise On Speedy New Toy

Motorcycle company Ducati is ready to unveil its new high-speed toy and they’re giving the very first one to a very famous face.

Tom Cruise will be first proud owner of the Desmosedici RR motorcycle – priced at a cool $72,500.

Only 1,500 of the bikes will be produced worldwide.

Tom, a longtime Ducati customer, will pick up his new toy from the Beverly Hills Ducati sometime this week.

The bike boasts 200 horsepower and can reach up to 200 MPH – let’s see the paparazzi try to catch Tom now!

'Hannah Montana' gets a name change

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

(KABC) -- The hottest teen star makes a big change in her life -- Miley Cyrus is officially Miley Cyrus.

She was born with the name Destiny Hope Cyrus, and is also known as her singing and dancing fictional alter ego, "Hannah Montana." But now she is legally and officially Miley Ray Cyrus.

The name actually stems from a childhood nickname where her family always called her "Smiley." That became Miley, and she's chosen Ray as her new middle name in honor of her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus.

Body Found in City Heights

A body, possibly that of a Los Angeles-area man who went missing last weekend while attending a convention in downtown San Diego, turned up in a City Heights alley today.

The discovery in the 5200 block of Landis Street was reported about 6:30 a.m., according to San Diego police.

Homicide detectives went to the scene due to the "suspicious" nature of the fatality, SDPD spokeswoman Monica Munoz said. She declined to elaborate.

Investigators believe the body is that of Dane Chandler Williams, 23, who was last seen at Sixth and K streets about 2 a.m. Saturday as he was leaving Hard Rock Cafe, KFMB-TV reported.

Police could not immediately confirm the report.

Williams did not return to his hotel room that night and failed to show up for work at the convention later in the day, according to police.

Scientology Bomb Cruises Past Google

By Jason Lee Miller - Tue, 01/29/2008 - 3:29pm.

Number 1 result for "dangerous cult"

It's a good thing Google's Matt Cutts wouldn't claim an algorithm tweak was "100 percent perfect" against googlebombing. If so, we'd be making fun of him right now. The oft-ridiculed Church of Scientology is the latest target.

Type "dangerous cult" into Google and you'll likely see, until Google disables it, that Scientology.org is the top result.

A year ago, Google's spamfighters took measures to prevent Internet users from manipulating the search results via googlebombing, which involves mass-linking to a website with specific anchor text. The most famous examples of googlebombing include the White House website as the number one result for "miserable failure" and Senator John Kerry's site as the number one result for "waffle."

Now, according to Google's results, Scientology is a dangerous cult, and we should hope for Google's and sanity's sake the hypersensitive church doesn't sue for defamation, though few would put it past them.

It's difficult to tell who's behind the googlebomb, but the odds-on favorite is likely a group called Anonymous, labeled by some as hackers with an axe to grind. The group has posted videos on YouTube, and messages around the Net protesting Scientology and waging a kind of cyber war against it.

One message called for Londoners to meet outside Scientology's British HQ for a storming of the Bastille, so to speak. Doubtlessly, Scientologists will get little sympathy from Germany, where lawmakers proposed a ban of the religion.

Barbaro's Ashes Going to Churchill Downs

WILL GRAVES

The Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The image of Barbaro blazing down the stretch at Churchill Downs, all four hooves off the ground as the powerful bay colt crushed the field in the 2006 Kentucky Derby, is seared in Roy Jackson's memory.

It's the way Jackson prefers to think of Barbaro, whose thunderous surge left a field of 19 fellow 3-year-olds in his wake and whose courage after a breakdown at the Preakness two weeks later made him an icon.

When it came time to decide how best to honor the horse, who was euthanized on Jan. 29, 2007 from complications of the breakdown, there was only one place Roy Jackson and wife Gretchen felt Barbaro would feel at home: a short gallop from the site of his greatest triumph.

Barbaro's ashes and a bronze statue will be placed in front of an entrance gate at Churchill Downs sometime in 2009. The Jacksons announced plans for the memorial on the one-year anniversary of Barbaro's death, a day they called one of the most difficult of their lives.

Yet there was no sadness on Tuesday, only relief and joy.

The Jacksons agonized for months on where to place his ashes, which are currently in a closet in the family's Pennsylvania home. Ultimately, they chose a place where the public that inundated Barbaro's stall at the New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa., with get-well cards, candy and gifts during his rehabilitation could pay tribute whenever they wanted.

"After the Derby and then when he got injured, he really became America's horse," Roy Jackson said. "We sort of felt an obligation that his remains and statue be erected some place where the general public could pay their respects."

As spectacular as the colt's career was , his 6 1/2-length win in the Derby was the widest margin of victory in 60 years , it was Barbaro's battle to survive following the breakdown that made him an emotional touchstone for so many.

"His accomplishments as a racehorse are certainly rivaled by the courage and resolve he displayed after his injury," Churchill Downs president Steve Sexton said.

The Jacksons say they continue to be amazed at the outpouring of support for Barbaro, much of it from non-racing fans who were captivated by images of him wincing on the track at Pimlico Race Course following the injury and his heroic attempts to deal with the myriad of setbacks that ultimately proved too much.

"I don't think any of us know how widespread the interest was," Roy Jackson said. "We've gotten a tremendous amount of response and we continue on almost a daily basis to get some correspondence and very articulate art on what he meant."

As painful as Barbaro's battle was, the Jacksons say it was not in vain. His plight drew attention to the laminitis, an often-fatal hoof disease that Barbaro contracted in both rear hooves before his death.

More than $2.7 million has been raised for the Laminitis Research Fund. The laminitis initiative will foster training programs and studies for new treatments of equine diseases. The fund includes a $7,000 donation received Monday from the Fans of Barbaro, a group of people spread across the country who met over the internet in support of the colt.

It's a fund that grows a little bit each day. Jennifer Campbell of Louisville stuffed $20 into a donation box for the fund on Tuesday while the Jacksons autographed pictures of jockey Edgar Prado urging Barbaro across the finish line at the Derby.

"You just see how they persevered under those circumstances, and how the horse persevered," said Campbell, who was wearing a green Barbaro hat. "He's an inspiration and I think it's great that they chose to share him with us."

The Jacksons have also helped raise $1.3 million for the Barbaro Fund at New Bolton. The money will go toward expansion of the George D. Widener Large Animal Hospital, and the purchase of equipment like a new operating table and recovery raft.

Tuesday, however, was about remembering the horse who captivated the nation.

Pictures of Barbaro from both his racing career and his rehabilitation at the large animal hospital at New Bolton flashed above a stage before the Jacksons spoke. The Jacksons smiled while watching a short film featuring local schoolchildren talking about Barbaro and showing pictures they drew of the horse following his injury.

Barbaro will be the first Kentucky Derby winner to be buried on the grounds at Churchill Downs. Four previous winners , Sunny's Halo, Carry Back, Swaps and Broker's Tip , are interred at the Kentucky Derby Museum, which is adjacent to the track.

Being placed outside the gate means fans will be able to visit the memorial without having to go inside the museum or the track itself. It will be accessible at all times.

"There was a sense of wanting to make the correct decision," Gretchen Jackson said. "It took a heck of a long time ... but we're relieved that we're moving forward."

Sponsored Links

Sean Young to Rehab After DGA Outburst

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean Young has entered rehabilitation for alcohol abuse following a weekend outburst in which she was heckling from the audience at the Directors Guild of America awards.

The 48-year-old actress was escorted from the ballroom at the Hyatt Regency in Century City Saturday night after sparring with Julian Schnabel, who was nominated for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly."

"Actress Sean Young voluntarily admitted herself yesterday to a rehabilitation center for treatment related to alcoholism," a statement from Insignia PR said Tuesday. "It is understood that Young has struggled against the disease for many years."

At the DGAs, all of the film nominees get a chance to say a few words before the top prize is announced. Schnabel, in his trademark yellow-tinted glasses, seemed moved by the occasion and was a bit slow to start, looking down at the podium and running his hands through his wild, curly hair.

That's when Young could be heard throughout the room urging him to get on with it. Apparently rattled, Schnabel scanned the room and asked who said that, then spotted Young and suggested that she "have another cocktail."

Then he suggested that she should finish his speech for him and started walking off the stage. Music began playing for his exit, but the audience urged him to stay and keep speaking, and he did. Young, meanwhile, was removed from the ballroom.

The guild said in a statement Tuesday: "The DGA wishes to respect Ms. Young's privacy at this difficult time and declines further comment."

Joel and Ethan Coen were the winners for "No Country for Old Men."

Young made her name in the 1980s with films like "Stripes," "Blade Runner" and "No Way Out." But she's become more famous for some of her more bizarre behavior, including dressing up in a homemade cat suit in her quest to secure the role of Catwoman in the 1992 sequel "Batman Returns," which went to Michelle Pfeiffer.

She also tried to crash the Vanity Fair Oscar party in 2006.

"It was degrading," she said in an Entertainment Weekly article last year. "But when you have nothing to lose, it's really not that big of a deal."

HECKLING SEAN YOUNG ESCORTED OUT OF DGA AWARDS

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

2008-01-28 23:17:41 -

Actress SEAN YOUNG was escorted from the Directors Guild Of America Awards show on Saturday (26Jan07) for heckling filmmaker JULIAN SCHNABEL.
Schnabel was the last of the five Best Director nominees to take the stage to make a speech at the Los Angeles ceremony - but, after a few moments, he was forced to stop when Young shouted, "Come on - get to it!" A shocked Schnabel stopped to find out the identity of his heckler, and asked Young to finish his speech for him.
Schnabel then returned to his speech after receiving encouragement from the star-studded audience, while Young was escorted out of the venue by two security guards, falling over as she left.

SkyFire Announces New Mobile Browser for Smartphones

News by Ricky Cadden on Monday January 28, 2008.

Skyfire has announced a new web browser for smartphones that is designed to make it faster and more user-friendly to browse the web on a smartphone. Skyfire uses proprietary technology to deliver web content to mobile phones quickly, while maintaining the site's desktop look and feel.

Support for web technologies such as AJAX, Java, and Flash video suggest that the Skyfire browser could open up a new level of mobile web browsing for consumers. Skyfire claims it is the fastest loading mobile browser on the market, and offers features such as the ability to bookmark particular areas of a web page so they can be quickly accessed again at a later time.

Skyfire is currently in private beta for Windows Mobile 6 Professional and Standard, with a Symbian-compatible version planned in the next month. Users can sign up for the beta at www.skyfire.com.

Heath Ledger, Brad Renfro, Writers' Strike Make For Somber SAG Awards

Jan 28 2008 10:47 AM EST
on http://www.mtv.com

Wins for 'No Country for Old Men,' 'The Sopranos,' 'The Office' and 'There Will Be Blood' are overshadowed by recent losses.

By Larry Carroll

LOS ANGELES — Ryan Gosling and his sister wore black ribbons, in honor of the dearly departed. Kristen Stewart had to fight back tears on the red carpet. Daniel Day-Lewis dedicated his Best Actor award to Heath Ledger, and when the show's "In Memoriam" segment closed with a shot of the actor in "Brokeback Mountain," one final moment of stunned silence swept over the near-funereal Shrine Auditorium.

"It's just extremely tragic, of course," sighed Ellen Page, a nominee for her work in "Juno." "It's becoming too much."

"I think it's an important topic to bring up, and I think he needs to be celebrated tonight with the rest of us," insisted "Hairspray" star Nikki Blonski. "I never got to meet him, but being here tonight at the SAG Awards, I feel like his presence is here."

For the record, the big winners at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were "No Country for Old Men," "The Sopranos," "30 Rock" and such individual TV and film actors as Day-Lewis ("There Will Be Blood"), Javier Bardem ("No Country"), Kevin Kline ("As You Like It"), Julie Christie ("Away From Her"), Ruby Dee ("American Gangster") and Queen Latifah ("Life Support"). But with an unrelenting rain falling on the Shrine, Ledger's sudden death still on everyone's minds, and an epic strike continuing to rage on, Hollywood's stars were just thankful to distract themselves for a brief while (see "Heath Ledger's Death: Awards Shows Struggling With How To Pay Tribute").

"This is a lot more electricity-charged because there were no Golden Globes, and people are excited to see the wonderful performances of this past year rewarded," nominee and "Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera said on the red carpet. "And also, because there's a strike going on, I think everybody could use a morale boost."

"There's a writers' strike, as most people know, but the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild are very cooperative with each other and very supportive of each other," said "Sin City" star Carla Gugino, explaining why some shows have fallen apart this year, while others survive. "So, the Writers Guild gave a waiver to this awards ceremony, and it's basically the actors and the writers supporting each other."

"I hope [the strike] gets wrapped up soon, but at the end of the day, what's happening is happening; everything happens for a reason," added Ludacris, a former SAG Award winner for "Crash," who wore a WGA pin on his lapel. "I'm here to support the writers' strike, and I'm here to support SAG."

Moments before going onstage to accept the Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series award with his castmates, however, "The Office" star/writer/producer B.J. Novak revealed some promising news: "I'm hearing, ear to the streets, that it'll be over soon. ... There are smart people on both sides, and hopefully they'll figure something out."

Page, who recently received her first Oscar nomination, said that she was making two sets of plans for late February. "If there is a ceremony, I will attend, I guess, as long as the strike is resolved," she explained. "And if there isn't, I don't know. I'll probably just hang out with people I love, and see what happens."

But if there was one thought that could supplant the strike, it was the tragic month that Hollywood actors had just been through, losing Brad Renfro and Heath Ledger — two actors in their 20s — just days before. The point was underlined during SAG's yearly video tribute to the deceased, as both appeared alongside veteran actors more than double their age.

"I'm totally in shock about both of those tragedies," said Blonsky. "I'm just praying for their families."

The point was made most powerfully, perhaps, when the usually reserved Day-Lewis paid tribute to Ledger from the podium.

"Heath Ledger gave [inspiration] to me," he said to the crowd, clutching his SAG award. "In 'Monster's Ball,' that character he created, it seemed to be almost like an unformed being, retreating from [himself], retreating from his father, from his life, even retreating from us, and yet we wanted to follow him, and yet we're scared to follow him almost. ... In 'Brokeback Mountain,' he was unique, he was perfect. ... I'd like to dedicate this to Heath Ledger."

"I'm really sad about it," a shaken Kristen Stewart told us on the red carpet. "He was one of my favorite actors, and it's hard to talk about."

"Poor Heath," sighed "Smokin' Aces" actress Taraji P. Henson, moments earlier. "He was tired, jet-lagged and he was talking about how the Joker [in 'The Dark Knight'] just took so much out of him. People don't realize what we do as artists, portraying these different characters, we're walking in the life of another person.

"It's kind of spiritual and deep, deeper than the outsider might understand," she continued, sympathizing with Ledger's reported exhaustion in the weeks leading up to his death. "I know how it is, going that deep into a character. When it comes time to come out, you do have sleeping problems; you can't sleep, because you've lived in this person's energy for three or four months, sometimes up to a year."

"I don't know what happened with Heath Ledger; none of us really know," shrugged Amanda Bynes, another "Hairspray" nominee. "I was a huge fan of Heath Ledger. I loved him in '10 Things I Hate About You' and 'Brokeback Mountain,' so I was devastated. I didn't know him at all, but I was a huge fan of his. It was shocking. I'm really sad that he's gone; I can't believe he's not here anymore. I still wanted to see what he had to offer. It seemed like he still had so many years left as an actor, and I just wanted to watch him. I'm really, really sad."

Now, Hollywood will hope to end its strike, make the Oscars happen, and put this sad January behind them. But in memory of Renfro and Ledger, many of the stars were hoping that some lessons could be learned in their honor.

"None of us is immune to the problems of life; none of us is immune to the abuse of life," said rapper/actor RZA, an "American Gangster" nominee. "We can have fun. We can think we're celebrities and we're elite, but the same problems that face you face us."

"I think you just need to be really careful," added Bynes. "A lot of people want to escape from their life, and I think you should try to realize we're only here for a short amount of time, and not to feel bad for yourself. Realize that you're doing OK."

New Kids on the Block Are Not Going on a Reunion Tour

Submitted by Julie on January 28, 2008 - 11:26am.
on http://www.clevelandleader.com

Despite the official New Kids on the Block site being resurrected, and reports from People that there would be an announcement in a couple of weeks about the reunion - it's not likely to happen. Original member Danny Wood posted a bulletin on his MySpace"

Hello to everyone. Hope all is well and everyone is enjoying the New Year. I wanted to address the rumors of the NKOTB Reunion Tour. There has been no talk of this and you are getting it from source directly. Never say never, and you can't believe everything you read. On another note my solo record will be released in Australia in March. There are a few new songs on it and I hope you guys will check it out. Thank you so much for your continued support. Dwood

At Dlisted, one of their readers reports that NKOTB are working on a reality television show in which they look for new members, rather than a reunion tour. So NKOTB may be reuniting on screen, but not on tour.

Good news for Cowboy fans!

posted at 11:59 am on January 24, 2008 by Bryan
on http://www.hotair.com

Two bits of good news for fans of America’s Team. First, Hitler gets to wear that TO jersey with pride because the NFL’s most egotistical WR is staying in Dallas.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones plans to pay Terrell Owens’ $3 million roster bonus, which means the All-Pro wide receiver will be back for the final season of his three-year, $25 million contract.

“Yes, we are going to have Terrell back,” Jones said Tuesday at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Jones added that a contract extension for Owens is something he would consider “down the line.”

Owens finished with 81 catches for 1,355 yards and a team-record 15 touchdown receptions.

Sorry Cowboy haters. TO seems to have grown up.

Want some more good news (or bad, depending on what you think of the Boys)? Tony Romo has dumped the blonde.

Dallas Cowboys star Tony Romo has reportedly dumped Jessica Simpson, who was widely blamed for costing him a shot at the Super Bowl.

“Tony is now starting to blame her himself,” a pal told OK! magazine. “Before dating Jessica, he was Texas’ golden boy. Now he’s become a joke.”

A few days after the Giants bounced the Cowboys from the playoffs, Romo called the “Dukes of Hazzard” star to tell her their romance was over.

“He said he thought it was better if they went back to being friends,” a pal of hers said.

Why couldn’t they have had this discussion before the Giants debacle?