Gossip / Rumors

If 2005 hits were any indication, it appears that people will just embrace something familiar if they think it's quality entertainment. Cases in point: The latest installments of the 'Star Wars' and 'Harry Potter' movies became the year's top blockbusters; returning hitmakers 50 Cent and Mariah Carey delivered smash albums; and 'CSI,' 'American Idol' and 'Desperate Housewives' continued to dominate the TV landscape.

THE RUMOR: Simon Cowell is replacing Regis on 'Live.'

HOW IT STARTED: A few months back, Simon met with several TV syndicators about wanting to host a 'Regis and Kelly'-type show. At the same time, there was talk that Regis might be leaving his gig.

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Cowell and Kelly's chemistry

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His lawyer, Hanna Basha, said in court that the newspaper had repeated a false rumor that the rocker acted in a self-important, arrogant and rude manner by telling guests at a fundraising ball not to address him unless spoken to.

The 58-year-old singer wasn't in court for the announcement of the settlement over the Sunday Times' report in June.

Times Newspapers Ltd. said it had agreed to pay damages to John, who will donate the funds to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

That's what Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes said Tuesday about a Valentine's Day report on the Life & Style magazine Web site, which claimed Cruise and Holmes had split up and called off their wedding.

"It should be known that the story is 100 percent false," Arnold Robinson, a publicist for the couple, said in a statement. "Mr. Cruise and Ms. Holmes are still engaged and are moving forward with their wedding plans, as well as planning for the arrival of their child."

The Feb. 27 issue, which will be on news stands Friday, said the public pair "plan to keep up the charade of their romance until after their baby's birth this spring."

Holmes, 27, and Cruise, 43, have been engaged since June. They announced their pregnancy in October.

"Despite the malicious fallacies put forth by Life & Style magazine, the couple is looking forward to a long and happy life together as a family," Robinson said.

A representative for the magazine said the story was accurate: "We stand 100 percent behind our story."

TMZ has learned that 'Desperate Houswives' star Nicollette Sheridan will pick up a cool 10 grand just for showing up tomorrow night at Pure nightclub in Las Vegas.

We're told Nicollette will dress up as one of the sexy Pussycat Dolls, do a walk on, and walk off $10K richer.

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Nicollette talks about her breakout hit

Britney Spears, a Louisiana native, will celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans later this month when the devastated city hopes to revive some its old partying ways.

"I am honored to be a part of the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans this year," Spears said in a statement Monday. "It is so important for this amazing city to continue its annual traditions and I am really looking forward to being involved."

The 24-year-old pop star will appear on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Feb. 28 (7 a.m EST), when the morning show reports live from New Orleans. ABC announced that Spears will bring "surprises for a group of very deserving young residents."

The Mardi Gras parade season will run from Feb. 18-28; Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras Day, is Feb. 28.

Spears grew up in Kentwood, and has participated in fundraisers for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The singer also will guest star April 13 on NBC's "Will & Grace."

Last week, photos were published of Spears driving with her 4-month-old son, Sean Preston, sitting on her lap instead of being strapped to a car seat in the back seat. She first blamed pursuits by the paparazzi, but later said it was a "mistake."

Turns out there were some divisions on the set, too.

"It wasn't my favorite," admitted Lauren Graham, who plays mom Lorelai.

Lorelai and Rory have since made up; tears flowed. Their rapid-fire repartee is back, although usually by phone. Rory is in Yale now, and, in one busy episode this month, became editor of her school paper and moved in with her boyfriend.

The show's creators are clearly trying to push things and avoid the fatigue that usually afflicts television shows in their sixth season.

Long the WB's most critically acclaimed series, "Gilmore Girls" has quietly grown to become its second most popular after "7th Heaven." The show averages just under 5 million viewers a week, up from 4.1 million two seasons ago, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Sheryl Crow spoke with Ellen DeGeneres for the first time about her break-up with Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.

In an interview airing on Monday, February 13, Crow talks about how supportive people have been of her.

Just don't ask her to "hop back back on the bike" in the dating scene.

Watch the full clip here.

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Sheryl Crow on Ellen

Clarkson won two Grammys on Wednesday night in Los Angeles: best pop vocal album for "Breakaway" and female pop vocal performance for "Since U Been Gone."

Accepting those awards, the 23-year-old Clarkson thanked everyone from the musicians who performed on her album to radio itself. "American Idol," however, went unmentioned.

Backstage at the Staples Center, she defended the omission: "I did thank the fans, and that's 'American Idol.'"

That the prestigious Recording Academy would honor a former reality TV contestant surprised many, but also excited her fans.

"I think it's amazing. It validates the show," said "Idol" judge Randy Jackson during a party afterward. "I'm really happy for her. I think she's really over the moon because I think she thought she'd never win it."

Ironically, "American Idol" still got the best of Clarkson in a way. The Fox show ran Wednesday evening opposite CBS' Grammys broadcast.

The 76-page magazine was distributed as an insert to Thursday's editions of the newspaper, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

Angelina Jolie graces the cover of the first issue, which also has a quiz for readers to guess the false names celebrities use to register at hotels, and an Academy Awards preview. A piece called "Tale of the Tiaras" compares the lineage, loves, pet projects and bankrolls of the Hilton and Hearst heiresses.

In his opening letter, Editorial Director Richard Johnson writes, "You are holding in your hands the culmination of 30 years of blood, sweat and tears -- and plenty of threatened lawsuits." Page Six was started in 1976.

The magazine also includes an interview with a Victoria's Secret model, a roundup of new nightclub openings and a Hamptons real estate preview.

No publication date for a second issue has been announced. Page Six, which these days is more likely to appear on Page 8 or 10 of the Post, features celebrity sightings and gossip about Hollywood and high society figures.

Bitter feuds and rivalries among some artists could make for some uncomfortable moments at the 48th annual Grammy Awards as battling stars attend the same ceremony.

Grammy Awards executive producer Ken Ehrlich tells TMZ that anyone looking to start trouble on the show should be warned they could ruin their chances of being invited back. "We've had opportunities on the Grammys to have controversial moments and I don't do it, because I don't want the lead story the next day to be about [the controversy] and not who won awards."

Here's a look at some of the rivalries and feuds that could make the Grammys a showdown to watch:

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• U2
• The Killers
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• Gwen Stefani
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TMZ has learned that Lance Armstrong canceled his scheduled appearance Wednesday at the 48th annual Grammy Awards. Armstrong was supposed to be a presenter at the show, but sources tell TMZ the award-winning cyclist canceled his appearance after his break-up with Sheryl Crow became public. Crow, who was engaged to Armstrong, has been nominated and is scheduled to attend.

Reps for Armstrong and Crow could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, this year's Grammy show may also be the litmus test for other celebrity relationships rumored to be in trouble. Madonna and Bruce Springsteen are both performing on the show -- there's a buzz that both of their marriages may be on the rocks.

Madonna has been married to filmmaker Guy Ritchie since 2000, and Springsteen has been married to singer Patti Scialfa since 1991. No word if Ritchie and Scialfa will attend Grammys.

Madonna's and Springsteen's reps were unavailable for comment.

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Insiders directly connected with NBC News tell TMZ that Meredith Vieira is now first choice to replace Katie Couric if she leaves 'Today.'

There's also talk of expanding 'Today' to four hours. If that happens, TMZ is told that Campbell Brown, once the frontrunner to replace Katie, would anchor a portion of the program.

We're told currently there's a 70 percent chance that Katie will jump to CBS.

And get this -- NBC insiders say another name the network has kicked around is Kelly Ripa, though we're told she is currently not available.

Insiders tell TMZ Vieira currently pulls in more than $5 million for her work on 'The View' and 'Millionaire.'

Love, 41, appeared in court Friday as part of a progress report after violating probation in three criminal cases. Judge Rand Rubin sentenced Love to 180 days at a drug treatment facility but was released to an outpatient program in November.

Rubin ended that requirement but ordered her to return to court on May 12.

"You're doing really, really well," Rubin said. "We're all pleased with your progress."

Love, the former lead singer for the band Hole and the widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, admitted in August that she had violated her probation in three cases, including two drug-related charges.

But Love said she has improved over the past several months.

In his first television interview since ditching "Chappelle's Show" in May, Chappelle said that after he signed a $50 million deal for the third and fourth seasons in August 2004, too many people were trying to control him and his show.

"I wasn't crazy but it is incredibly stressful," Chappelle, 32, said during his appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that aired Friday.

"I felt in a lot of instances I was deliberately being put through stress because when you're a guy who generates money people have a vested interested in controlling you," Chappelle said.

Last May, with the premiere date looming for the third season, Chappelle stunned his fans and the entertainment industry by leaving the show in mid-production. He spent two weeks in South Africa before returning home to his farm near Yellow Springs, Ohio, about 75 miles northeast of Cincinnati. Chappelle has since resumed performing live standup.

But Superior Court Judge Larry P. Fidler said he found "no smoking gun" in the remarks, released Friday.

The documents were ordered released to prosecutors by the judge in Spector's upcoming murder trial. The deposition was taken in July 2005 as part of a civil court lawsuit he filed against his former attorney, Robert Shapiro, over a retainer fee.

Spector, 65, known for creating rock music's "wall of sound," has pleaded not guilty in Clarkson's death and is free on $1 million bail. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Shapiro, who was one of O.J. Simpson's lawyers, pressed Spector for details of the hours before he met Clarkson and took her to his home.