CelebrityWorld

Madonna and Ritchie in happier times

The London tabloids are swirling with rumors about a possible split between Madonna, and her husband Guy Ritchie. The London Times reported last week that the “material girl” met with high powered London attorney Fiona Shackleton, who not long ago represented Paul McCartney in his divorce from Heather Mills.

The couple, who married in 2000, hasn’t been spotted together in public since attending London’s Kabbalah Centre together on June 3rd. And though Madonna has been recently globetrotting with her three children, Ritchie has been keeping a low profile in his English homeland. Madonna also raised eyebrows this past weekend by attending the Kabbalah Center in New York with the father of her oldest daughter, Carlos Leon. Ritchie did arrive in New York on Monday, but he was expressionless as he deflected paparazzi queries about a pending divorce. It was noted that neither Madonna or Ritchie wore their wedding rings.

The couple is not believed to have signed a prenuptial agreement, and though Ritchie comes from a high brow background, it’s Madonna’s estimated $600 million that seems most at stake. The London Times reported that Ritchie has also met with divorce attorneys in recent weeks.

Box office and former “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” star Will Smith, and his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith  are opening a school in Los Angeles with a curriculum that is considered both cutting edge and controversial. The school, New Village Academy, is scheduled for a September opening, but some critics say that too much of the instruction is based on the principles of Scientology.

Smith denies that the school is a Scientology facility,  but does say that some of the instructional methods, called “study technology”, were developed by Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard. Several of the teachers also belong to the church. But Smith and his wife say they are not members of church, and insist that the school has no religious affiliation.

The academy’s director, Jacqueline Olivier, told the Los Angeles Times that although some of the school’s staff belong to  Scientology, the they also have Christian, Muslim, and Jewish instructors.

“We are a secular school, and just like all nonreligious independent schools, faculty and staff do not promote their own religions at school or pass on the beliefs of their particular faith to children,” says Olivier.

OK, so I’m a little non-traditional in what I feel should be published. I do my best to bring to readers today, what everyone else will be talking about tomorrow. That’s not to say that other stuff isn’t relevant, but we do have a deadline to meet. Anyway, there are stories from the past week that bear mentioning, even though everybody else has covered them. But just in case one of them has slipped by you, catch it here right now…

The Death of a Comedic Pioneer 

Comedy legend George Carlin passed away this week in Santa Monica, California at age 71. The wise cracking hero of the counterculture spent more than 50 years in the entertainment industry, spanning virtually every facet of media, including television, film, and the recording industry.

Carlin made his first television appearance on the “Tonight Show” in 1962, and made a name for himself with has unique brand of wordplay and comedic social insight. Early in his career, he appeared onstage in suit and tie in order to appeal to mainstream America. But, in 1070, he commented that he felt he was living a lie, ditching the suit for jeans and casual attire. He grew a beard, wore his hair in a ponytail, and his comedy took on everything from social injustices to the White House.

The growth of the cable industry allowed him more freedom in language and commentary, and his specials became one of the most popular programs on HBO. The world of comedy will surely miss his intelligent blend of comedic criticism and  social  sarcasm.

Nelson Mandela Honored On His Birthday

Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, and the most vocal critic of  the apartheid that gripped that country for centuries, turned 90 this week, and his birthday was celebrated in London with a bevy of international superstars.

Amy Winehouse, fresh from another hospital visit, performed at the event, as did Queen, Annie Lennox, and Simple Minds. The event was in support of his 46664 AIDS campaign, and was hosted by Hollywood superstar, Will Smith. Also in attendence was actor Denzel Washingto, and Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.

American Idol Winner, Ruben Studdard, Gets Married 

Velvet teddy bear, and winner of the second season of American Idol,  Ruben Studdard wed his fiance’, Surata Zuri McCants this week in the star’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama.

This is the first marriage for the singer, who met his bride while signing copies of his cd at a Walmart in Atlanta. The couple had been dating since 2006.

Michael Lohan, father of troubled celebrity Lindsey Lohan, responded to allegations that he may have may have fathered a child during his seperation from Lindsey’s mom, Dina. Lohan has admitted to OK! Magazine that he had engaged in a relationship while separated from his ex-wife that may have resulted in a pregnancy which produced a daughter.

In an interview on the “Billy Bush Show” Friday night, the elder Lohan says that he had been involved in a relationship with a woman that he has know for more than 20 years, but stopped short of acknowledging that the 13 year old girl might be his his daughter. he says that he met the woman in Houston in 1983, but that he did not know of the child until after a long period of being out of touch with her.

Michael Lohan cast doubt on the mental faculties of the woman, who he says he believes is married, and may be going through hard times. He says that the woman has made the child public knowledge recently, in an attempt to get back together with him.

Country Star Arrested After Probation Violation

Mindy Mcready before and after her arrest

Troubled country music star Mindy McCready is facing more legal problems after being arrested in Tennessee for probation violation. The singer, best known for “Guys Do It All The Time,” which reached number one on the country charts, was picked up for allegedly lying about how much community service she completed. She was released after posting bail, but not before spending a few hours behind bars in the Franklin County Jail.

McCready was ordered by a Tennessee court in 2007 to complete three years of probation and 200 hours of community service for falsifying a prescription for the painkiller OxyCotin.

The 32 year old star has gained a significant amount of publicity over the past few years as she revealed on The Oprah Winfrey Show her struggles with alcohol and drugs, and a history of domestic abuse by her then boyfriend, Billy McKnight. She was also treated for depression after an attempted suicide.

McCready, who at one point was engaged to former TV Superman, Dean Cain, has also admitted to an affair with baseball star Roger Clemens. She claims the affair started when she was 15 years old and involved consensual sex. Clemens has denied the affair.

David Beckham’s Underwear Billboard Attracts Attention

International soccer star, and husband to Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, created a whirlwind of attention by posing in just his underwear on a billboard in front of Macy’s in San Francisco. He wrote in his blog that he “was amazed by the number of people who turned up to see it.”

Beckham joins a growing number of male stars who have undressed down to their skivvies in photo shoots, including Mario Lopez, who recently posed in his Calvin Klein’s for People magazine, Mark Wahlberg, and Brad Pitt, who graced the cover of Vanity Fair in his boxers.

At a time when many of today’s younger stars struggle to handle the crisis of over indulgence, some of the maturing Hollywood mainstream spend their time away from the cameras bringing focus to issues of humanitarian injustices.

Ben Affleck is the latest in a growing list of international superstars lending both their names and their energies to under reported humanitarian crisis issues. The 35 year old actor/director has visited the continent of Africa several times in the past year, and traveled recently to the Congo with a crew from the ABC news program”Nightline.” His purpose was to bring greater exposure to the thousands who die each month from war and starvation, and the millions of survivors who benefited little from peace keeping efforts and humanitarian programs.

Many entertainers have lent their celebrity to issues of social relevance in recent years. Brad Pitt and Harry Connick, Jr. have been tireless in theri efforts to help rebuild New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Angelina Jolie and Madonna have invested countless hours championing for the rights and care of underprivileged children around the world. And according to Affleck, celebrities are in a position to bring more socially conscious issues to light.

“It’s fairly clear that in modern age there is a currency to celebrity” he said in an Associated Press interview. “I’ve discovered that you can spend it a lot of ways, or you can squander it. I started thinking long and hard about how to use that currency as long as I had it.”

Maybe some of the younger trouble-plagued stars will follow his example.

Timbaland and Nelly Furtardo 

Super producer Timothy Mosley, better known throughout the music industry as Timbaland, wed his girlfriend of two years, music executive Monique Idlette, in a ceremony on a private island in Aruba. The ceremony was held Sunday evening, and is the first marriage for both the bride and the groom.

Over the past decade, Timbaland has been one of the hottest go-to producers hip-hop music, having produced hits for some of the biggest names in the business, including Jay Z, Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, Missy Elliott, and the now deceased, Aaliyah. He has also crossed musical boundaries by working with Madonna, Beck, Nelly Furtardo, Ashley Simpson, and Chris Martin of Coldplay.

The couple, who welcomed a baby girl, Reign, in November, had actually exchanged vows earlier this month in the rapper/producer’s native Virginia Beach, Virginia. That civil ceremony was presided over by a family pastor.

Sunday’s nuptials were more formal, and were attended by more than three hundred guests, including Missy Elliott, Ginuwine, Omarion, and Interscope/Geffen Records Chariman, Jimmy Iovine.

Hard living and bad decisions have taken their toll on many entertainers over the years, and a new crop of stars are beginning to see the effects of living in the fast lane. The recent death of Heath Ledger, and the much publicized trips to rehab for young media stars such as Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan have brought new attention to the issue of drugs and the entertainment industry.

Soulful songstress and rising international superstar Amy Winehouse, has also been fighting her demons in the public eye. After several very public meltdowns, and photos circulating on the Internet of the talented singer doing everything from parading in public nearly nude in just a bra and panties, to a video showing singer smoking what is believed to be crack cocaine, her collapse Monday at her North London home has created new concerns.

Her Father, Mitch Winehouse, told the Sunday Mirror in an article published yesterday that his daughter has been diagnosed with early stages of emphysema. He say the lung damage was caused by heavy cigarette and crack smoking, and she may have to wear an oxygen mask if she does not stop with dangerous lifestyle. The elder Winehouse says that his daughter also has an irregular heartbeat.

Hopefully, Amy will find it within herself to get her life together before it’s too late.

The whole town’s in an uproar, and opinions are mixed as to the effect of the media blitz showered on tiny McComb, Mississippi while covering the birth of Maddie Briann Aldridge,  newborn daughter of Jamie Lynn Spears.

Some town residents are taking the disruptions caused by the media in stride, while others find it a little too much for their liking. Like it or not, there is no doubt that over the past few days, the younger Spears sibling has put the small town on the front page of virtually every celebrity publication.

Spears, 17, and her 19 year old fiancee’, Casey Aldridge, left the Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center today in a white Range Rover at 1:40pm lead by a  police escort today. Jamie Lynn sat in the back seat draped by a white sheet, under which it is believed that she was hiding her newborn from photographers.

Meanwhile, big sister Britney arrived back in Los Angeles, and created her usual media blitz leaving the airport. A throng of photographers mobbed the media star and her entourage as they attempted to enter a vehicle outside of the airport.

An apparent incident occurred involving one of her bodyguards, when one of the photographers reported having  a camera shoved into his face, leaving a slight bruise on his cheek.

No charges were filed as a result of the incident.

A New York judge issued a temporary restraining order against multi-platinum selling Rapper 50 Cent, after complaints by his ex-girlfriend and mother of his son Shaniqua Tompkins about fears for her safety. The two have been entangled in legal battles over money. 50’s money, of which Tompkins feels she is entitled to half, based on an oral agreement made by the rapper.

Last month, the dispute took a more serious turn, as the home where Tompkins lived with their 10 year old son in Long Island was destroyed by fire as she and friends were at home in the residence. The fire to the $2.4 million dollar mansion is being investigated by fire officials, but Tompkins reported to the media that she believed the star was behind the blaze.

In a separate legal action, 50 Cent’s attorneys filed a defamation lawsuit in Connecticut Superior Court on Friday against Tompkins for statements made to the media. His lawyers also claim that 50 has no weapons, and does not have access to weapons.

He has been ordered to stay away from Tompkins without the court’s permission.