An arbiter has finally ruled in the never-ending saga that was Sushi-Gate -- and agreed that Jeremy Piven did not violate his contract when he bailed on his Broadway play.
In case you forgot -- Piven dropped out of "Speed the Plow" after he was diagnosed with "mercury poisoning," which he claims was caused by eating too much raw fish.
Producers thought it was just plain fishy and filed a grievance.
Miley Cyrus continued her Asian restaurant mea culpa yesterday ... and guess who resurfaced???
20-year-old Justin Gaston and Miley acted as if they were meeting on the DL, looking clearly uncomfortable. Is Miley back in dangerous adult territory? Is she breaking the news that she's back with Nick Jonas -- her lunch date last weekend? It's really like Hannah Montana, only this time it's personal.
Jeremy Piven went to Dr. Tea's Tea Garden on Melrose yesterday, home to the "finest quality Asian teas" and herbal products. One thing they don't serve -- Sushi.
Adam Pascal -- "Roger" from the original cast of "RENT," now at the Pantages in L.A. -- put Jeremy Piven on blast last night for using sushi to bail on his Broadway play, calling Piv's excuse "crap" and total bull.
Jeremy Piven showed up for his grievance hearing lodged by the Actors' Equity Association for leaving his Broadway play -- Speed-the-Plow -- mid-run, because of excessive, mercury-laden sushi.
TMZ has learned Jeremy Piven's mercury-poisoning story isn't holding water with the producers of his show -- and they've filed an official grievance with Actors' Equity, the union that handles Broadway stars.
In a statement, one of the the show's producers, Jeffrey Richards, announced, "The producers of SPEED-THE-PLOW have officially filed a grievance with Actors' Equity re: Jeremy Piven's departure. A date for these proceedings is to be determined."
As we first reported, Piv ditched the show two months early, claiming he was suffering from a sushi-induced "mercury poisoning."
We know he was examined by another set of doctors for a second opinion. The results of that exam aren't yet known.
UPDATE -- Jeremy's rep tells TMZ, "The claims made by the producers of Speed-the-Plow are absurd and outrageous. Mr. Piven's serious medical condition has been well documented by multiple physicians. He withdrew from the play due to medical necessity on the advice of his doctors, after he was hospitalized and warned by his physicians that enforced rest was necessary in order to avoid serious medical problems, including a heart attack.
"His symptoms included extreme fatigue, spacial problems, difficulty remembering his lines, difficulty maintaining his balance, and an alarmingly low resting heart rate. Mr. Piven followed his doctors' advice, although his forced withdrawal from the show was an enormous personal disappointment since it was a life-long dream to perform on Broadway."
Pop mess Britney Spears popped up all over town this weekend, doing what celebuwrecks do -- buyin' dogs and eatin' sushi! On Saturday, leaving her brassiere back at the shack, the pantyflasher donned a vomitacious headband/weave-tamer, a pink cotton nightie, high heels, and sunglasses repurposed from the tinted rear windows of a gangsta's Escalade -- and stopped by a pet shop to buy a dog. No animals were harmed in the making of this photograph. She's casual, y'all!
When Sunday rolls around, it's time to put on a little style! Very little! Wearing a tie-dye patterned satin mini made from curtains at the Days Inn Tehran, carrying a "My Lil' Kidney" purse and wearing a weave from the Cher '74 Collection and corralled by the same pukey headband -- all brought together (!) by that pair of cowgirl boots she refuses to give up -- Britz hit Shu Sushi in Beverly Hills. Wrecktaurant chic! Wasabe hotness! Oh, sushi-dih'n't!!
It's almost Christmas, but Nicole Richie is rocking a Halloween look. The tiny celebutante, currently in hot water after her arrest, was apparently so cold she wore a blanket to lunch. Richie tried to make it impossible to take her photo yesterday as she left a sushi bar in Los Angeles.
She wasn't able to avoid it entirely, and the verdict is in; the ghost costume is better than the skeleton.