HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year to you all from us at Gossip! Serriously?

Madonna Donates Millions to Kabbalah

Though her nasty divorce has been a definite low note for Madonna as of late, the good news is that she’s still committed to making the world a better place.

And in 2007, FOX News reports that the “Ray of Light” singer donated $3.1 million to charity, with most of it going to the Kabbalah Center of Los Angeles.

In addition, Madge also donated $250,000 to Mobilization Against AIDS, and $15,000 to the recording industry’s pet charity the TJ Martell Foundation for Leukemia and Cancer Research.

However, despite the fact that she adopted her son David Banda from Malawi, Madonna didn’t give any money to her charity Raising Malawi, though she may have amended her error with the fundraiser she threw in February this year.
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Garner at Hospital -- Ready to Burst?

While you're poppin' champagne, Jen Garner might be poppin' out that kid -- she and hubby Ben Affleck were spotted just moments ago going into Cedars-Sinai!

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Daniel Wright is the Biggest 'Biggest Loser' Ever!

At 454 pounds, Daniel Wright, 19, is the heaviest player in the history of "The Biggest Loser," and when the NBC weight-loss competition returns this January 6, Daniel and his best friend David Lee, 23, will be fighting for their lives.

"I know we have damaged ourselves, but we haven't waited until 40. If we can do this now, we can save a lot of time on our lives. Our biggest fear is death - early," says Daniel, who suffers from borderline Type 2 diabetes, elevated blood pressure, sleep apnea and hypothyroidism.
"I let [my weight] hold me back from living my high school years like I should," he says, explaining that the weight eventually really takes a toll. "When you have to plan out how to put your shoes on so you don't break a sweat, it really changes how you look at things."

"The Biggest Loser: Couples" premieres Tuesday, January 6 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
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Angelina--No More Babies!

They are reportedly heading to Ethiopa to add another orphan to their well-loved brood, but as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt await this seventh child, they're struggling with the news that they may never have another biological baby, sources say.

Because Angie's last two pregnancies were so fraught with complications, she has been advised to wait a long time before getting pregnant again – or not to get pregnant at all.

"Her previous pregnancies ended with emergency caesarian secions. She's been told that, at the least, she should not get pregnant for a year after her last deliver, and it would be safer if she did not get pregnant, ever."

The health complications this time around could pose a direct danger to the Changeling star, Dr. Larrian Gillespie, who has not treated Angie, reports.

"Angelina is at risk of having a stroke or heart attack, and because she developed gestational diabetes, there is a high risk she'll have it again, with the child being at risk for diabetes."

Not being a biological mom again might be hard for Angelina, as she revealed to Vanity Fair last year that she loves being pregnant.

"It makes me feel like a woman," she said. "Also, I happen to be with someone who finds pregnancy very sexy."
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J.Lo & Marc Anthony Together in Puerto Rico

Whichever source told the NY Daily News earlier this week that Jennifer Lopez and hubby Marc Anthony were on their way to an official split around Valentine's Day should probably have told the couple first, because they don't seem to be heading in that direction.In fact, J.Lo and Marc are currently vacationing in Puerto Rico together.

Earlier this week, the multitalented pair joined pals for a sumptuous dinner at San Juan hotspot Marmalade. "Jennifer and Marc looked very happy, so it is hard for me to believe the rumors their marriage is in trouble," E! quotes the restaurant's manager as saying.

The couple were joined by a group that included Lopez's sister, Lynda.

The latest split rumors surrounding the pair, who recently became parents to twins Max and Emme, began on Dec. 29, when the Daily News reported the couple was just waiting for Marc's big V-Day concert at NYC's Madison Square Garden to pass before announcing their split. Not surprisingly, this report was shot down almost immediately by reps for the actress.
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American Idol Gina Glocksen to Wed on New Year's Eve

American Idol Season 6 finalist Gina Glocksen is wedding her high school science teacher beau on New Year's Eve.

Glocksen is marrying Joe Ruzicka, a high school science teacher from her Chicago hometown. The pair were introduced when she tried out to be the leader singer in his band three years ago.

Jordin Sparks and finalist Haley Scarnato are expected to sing at the nuptials. Ruzicka's band, Then Again, will also perform for the 300 guests.

"At the tour [American Idols Live! 2007]. I asked all the girls [to be bridesmaids]," Glocksen said. "Jordin and Haley carried through with it, the others took gigs. New Year's Eve is one day you can't ask a performer to take off."

Ruzicka proposed in 2007 at the American Idols Live! tour.
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Biggest Loser's Amy, Marty Expecting a Baby!

A Biggest Loser baby is on the way!

Former contestants Amy and her husband, Marty Wolff, are expecting their first child together.

Amy is three months pregnant and due in July.



The couple met in 2007 while filming the third season of the network's Biggest Loser series.
They married in March 2008.


Amy, 29, and Marty, 28, who live in Omaha, Nebraska, started their own weight-loss program called Reality Wellness after competing in the hit reality show. They also help organize local competitions, including Shape Up Omaha, to get community members active.


Biggest Loser: Families debuts Jan. 6 on NBC.
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Miley Cyrus To Perform In A CA High School Tonight

Miley Cyrus has booked a New Year's concert at an unlikely venue: Inside the gymnasium of Beckman High School in Irvine, Calif.

Back in the summer, MTV held a contest for high school students to win a live, Cyrus-headlines concert on New Year's Eve.

The winner is Alison Kaprielian, a senior whose tireless work for the Pink Ribbon Club for breast cancer awareness has won her school the experience of a lifetime.

Fresh back from a Christmas break with family in her hometown of Nashville, Cyrus and pal Mandy Jiroux spent most of Tuesday with Kaprielian.
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Obamas Will Move To D.C. This Weekend

The Obama family will move to Washington D.C. this weekend, according to the Barack Obama's transition team.

"The president-elect will be here in Washington to continue work on an economic recovery plan," the team announced.

He, his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters Malia and Sasha will stay at a Washington hotel through Jan. 15. From there, they will move into the Blair House, which is the president's guest house and stands across the street from the White House. Inauguration events begin Jan. 20.
The transition team added: "[Obama] will also be here for the beginning of school."
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Real Housewives of Orange County--EPISODE 6 "Cut!"

Gretchen asks Jeff's children to come out from Michigan and rotate visits to their father's bedside. Gretchen takes advantage of the kids' visit to spend a day in Hollywood and engage in the success of her friend Jo De la Rosa.

Vicki accompanies Briana to the Red Cross to donate blood even though she is terrified of needles.

Feeling the financial pinch of being a college student, Kara gets a summer job at a local boutique...and redefines "manual labor."

Lynne frantically anticipates "the perfect" 18th birthday for her demanding daughter, Raquel. Things get off to a rocky start when a jealous squabble over their outfits threatens to dash Lynne's hopes for the perfect party.

Lynne meets the other housewives for the first time at Orange County's hip new restaurant. Within minutes of arriving, Lynne makes a misstep that leads to some very awkward exchanges. Before the night is over, Tamra and Gretchen square off over Gretchen's treatment of her ailing fiancé. This incident completely derails their budding friendship.

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Kevin Federline Out With His New Girlfriend

Kevin Federline went on a coffee run with new girlfriend Victoria Prince in Tarzana, California, Tuesday.

He always looks so nice, and his clothes are so flattering.

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Tom Cruise Wants 10 Kids With Katie

If Tom Cruise has his way, Suri could have a lot of little brothers and sisters.
"I want 10 children. I love kids," the Valkyrie star says in an interview.

Cruise, 46, is also dad to Connor, 13, and Isabella, 16, his adopted children with ex Nicole Kidman.

"I feel really fortunate to have the teenagers and a two and a half-year-old. It's a great dynamic," he says.

So how does Holmes -- who just celebrated her 30th birthday -- feel about giving birth to a brood that could rival Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's?

"If I'm worried about anything, it's if she [Katie] can keep up with me," Cruise jokes. "I'm very active...jumping on couches and whatnot."

Cruise adds that he's "a great parent. "I want to be with my kids, and they get to do all the stuff that I wanted to do when I was growing up," he says. "My own father wasn’t there much for me and I want to be a different dad to my kids. My family is the most important thing in my life."
(And despite his split from Kidman, he says: "Nic and I are very committed and successful in sharing the parenting.")

In addition to raising Suri, whom he calls "so charming, so beautiful...just great," Cruise says he's teaching Connor how to motorbike.

"I go to the children’s groups like other daddies," Cruise says. "At first people look at me like, 'My God, it's him!' and they treat me a little differently. "But then they realize I'm just a father with my kids," Cruise adds. "It's up to me to make everybody else feel okay about the fact that I'm there, and then everything just goes on."

But when not spending time with his children, Cruise turns his focus to his wife of two years, whom he calls "a very strong, gracious woman and a great comedian."
"I like doing romantic things, such as bringing flowers and surprising her with things," Cruise says. "I love candlelit evenings with nice music."

"Married life is very good, very lovely," he adds. "I feel lucky to have Kate as my wife. She's an extraordinary woman. She is funny and smart and she likes the same things that I do."
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Mia Farrow's Daughter Dies

Christmas Day brought a sad loss for actress Mia Farrow: Her 35-year-old adopted daughter, Lark Previn, passed away, the New York City medical examiner revealed Monday.

Previn, who was mom to daughters Sara, 13, and Christine, 12, had been ill for a decade, though a cause of death was not released.

Lark, whom Farrow and her former husband Andre Previn adopted from Vietnam in 1973, was among the first of many children adopted by the actress. A memorial for Lark was held Monday night in Brooklyn. Her longtime boyfriend, Robert Garcia, declined to comment. – Marla Lehner
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Twilight's Robert Pattinson Cuts His Hair..!

Say good-bye to Robert Pattinson's sexy tousled locks. The Twilight star caused a major frenzy when he stepped out this weekend with a new crew cut. Though he may not have the long messy ‘do that won us over, we think he looks just as hot with the shorter ‘do.

The second installment of Twilight doesn’t begin filming for awhile, so hopefully the longer locks will be back when Edward returns to the screen

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Twilight Star Cam Gigandet Wears A Kilt

Men in kilts is nothing new — just look at the warriors in Braveheart. A little more recently than William Wallace, Marc Jacobs has been sporting skirts this fall, causing a buzz among fashion followers. But when Twilight star Cam Gigandet went shopping in Beverly Hills yesterday in argyle socks and a kilt, we had to take notice.

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Jennifer Aniston To Spend Holiday With The Arquettes

Jennifer Aniston plans to toast the New Year with some old friends in Mexico – and it looks like she won't have to travel far for a New Year's Eve kiss.

The star of the Christmas box office record holder Marley & Me arrived in Los Cabos over the weekend where she plans to spend the holiday with Courtney Cox Arquette, her husband David and their daughter Coco.

Aniston's boyfriend John Mayer, who had a cozy post-Christmas dinner with Aniston at Wolfgang's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills on Dec. 26, flew to the popular Mexican resort town with his brothers on Saturday.

He plans to stay there through the New Year, according to sources.While the couple appear to be staying in separate residences, their places are just a short drive away – and are connected by a private beach perfect for long walks at sunset.
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Diddy And Friends

Diddy surrounds himself with friends Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix (looking very attractive) Monday night during a pre-New Year's Eve party at Fontainebleau in Miami Beach.

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Barack Obama In Hawaii Monday

President-elect Barack Obama keeps his eye on the prize Monday, warming up on the driving range during an afternoon on a private golf course in Kailua, Hawaii.

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Jonas Brothers Could Cause Mob Scene In Times Square

The New York Police Department – which has heroically handled terrorist attacks, blackouts and riots without a whimper – is being cautious over the "mob scene" that could result when the Jonas Brothers perform in Times Square at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest on Wednesday night.

According to a source, police officials fessed up to their concerns in a recent meeting with producers of the show. "So they're now planning on using extra [security] men for support," the source says.

"It's going to be crazy because everyone will be in Times Square to watch them perform on the show." If the extra cops can't quell Jonas-mania, maybe Mother Nature can. The forecast for New Year's Eve is currently a bone-chilling 17 degrees, with a chance of rain or snow.
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Blake Lively Named As Newest Presenter At Golden Globes

Adding to the star-studded list of presenters for the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards are Blake Lively, Laurence Fishburne and Aaron Eckhart.

The actors are joining other stars (of the big and small screen) like Drew Barrymore, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez, Glenn Close, Sacha Baron Cohen and Jake Gyllenhaal.

The awards will be shown live on Sunday, January 11 and one award is already in the bag for a big-time director. The Cecil B. Demille Award is going to Steven Spielberg this year for his “outstanding contribution to the entertainment field.”
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Superstars of Dance Premieres Sunday On NBC

Starting Sunday, January 4, at 9 pm/ET, NBC's Superstars of Dance - exec-produced by So You Think You Can Dance boss Nigel Lythgoe and hosted by Michael "Lord of the Dance" Flatley and Susie Castillo (above) - will pit stellar shufflers from eight countries against each other in a competition described as "equal parts sporting event, rock concert and artistic exhibition."

In addition to fielding two soloists, a duo and one group, each country will furnish a coach and a judge to serve on a multinational panel. Here's a first look at who's representing for each team.

ARGENTINA
Coach: Sandor, a Tony-nominated choreographer and principal dancer in the original cast of Forever Tango.
Judge: Maria Pogee, from the world-famous school of the Theater Colon.
Performing for Argentina: A folk dancer soloist, a ballet soloist, a Tango duo and a group performing Gaucho style of dance.

AUSTRALIA
Coach: Jason Gilkison, an international ballroom champion.
Judge: Kelley Abbey, dubbed Down Under's "most outstanding dancer, actor, singer and choreographer."
Performing for Australia: A tap dance soloist, a contemporary dancer soloist, a Latin ballroom duo and a contemporary dance group.

CHINA
Coach: Matthew Ahmet of Brittan, a Shaolin Monk.
Judge: Master Wang Haiyang, the natural to become the next Abbott of the Shaolin Temple.
Performing for China: A Chinese ribbon dancer soloist, a double whip soloist, an acrobatic ballet duo and the Shaolin Monks Kung Fu group.

IRELAND
Coach: Marie Duffy Pask, who currently serves as dance director and associate choreographer for Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames.
Judge: Dylan Nolan, aka "Dark Lord" in Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance.
Performing for Ireland: Irish Step Dancers assembled from different groups currently performing all over the globe.

INDIA
Coach: Nakul Dev Mahajan, the founder of the premiere Bollywood dance company in the United States.
Judge: Shirish Dayal, a producer, director and choreographer of stage shows for 15 years.
Performing for India: A Bharantanyam dancer soloist, a Kathak soloist, a Bollywood duo and a group performing the Bhangra style of dance.

RUSSIA
Coach: Stanislav Issaev, a principle dancer for many years with the Moscow Ballet Theater.
Judge: Mikhal Smirnov, the director and founder of Barynya, a successful Russian folk dancing company.
Performing for Russia: A ballet soloist, a contemporary dancer soloist, a ballroom duo and a group performing Cossak.

SOUTH AFRICA
Coach: Tandi Bhengu, the founder of a program and dance troupe called SAGA (South African Girls Abroad).
Judge: Harold Van Buuren, a winner of numerous titles as a ballroom and Latin American championship dancer.
Performing for South Africa: A hip-hop soloist, an Afrofusion soloist, a jive-inspired dance duo and a group performing Gumboot, a style born in the gold mines of South Africa.

UNITED STATES
Coach: Marguerite Derricks, an Emmy-winning choreographer who has worked in TV and film.
Judge: Tony Selznick, a founder of McDonald Selznick & Associates, where he represents the biggest names in American dance.
Performing for the USA: A popping soloist, a tap dancer, a cabaret-style ballroom duo and a hip-hop group.
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Twilight Makes Four Times Its Budget!! This Year's Best Rate Of Return

If only Wall Street had bet on Twilight. Or Hannah Montana. Or Kirk Cameron.

With a $167.3 million overall domestic take as Sunday, per Box Office Mojo, Twilight made more than four times its reported $37 million production budget—the best rate of return on any film in the 2008 Top 10, including The Dark Knight.

The Batman epic was a pretty good investment, too, very nearly tripling its gargantuan $185 million budget with a $530.8 million domestic take, Hollywood's second-biggest ever.

Still, The Dark Knight was nothing compared to these off-the-charts performers: High School Musical 3: Senior Year ($89.7 million), which grossed about eight times its $11 million budget; the Hannah Montana concert movie, which made about nine times its $7 million budget; and Cameron's Fireproof, which cost $500,000 to produce, and made $33.1 million—or, more than 60 times its budget.
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Woody Harrelson Marries Longtime Girlfriend

Woody Harrelson and his girlfriend Laura Louie married on Sunday on the island of Maui, his rep confirms.

The couple, who have been together for 20 years, tied the knot in front of a small group of family and friends, including actor Owen Wilson, Willie Nelson and Sean Penn. Alanis Morissette sang at the ceremony.

Harrelson’s rep says, “Woody Harrelson and Laura Louie were officially married yesterday on the island of Maui. The ceremony was attended by family and friends. The couple have been together 20 years and are the proud parents of three daughters.”

Harrelson fell in love with Louie in 1987 after meeting her on the set of Cheers.
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Sarah Palin Is A Grandma

Bristol Palin, the daughter of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, and her fiance, Levi Johnston, have given birth to a boy, named Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston. Bristol delivered Tripp on Sunday.

"I'm going to take him hunting and fishing," Johnston said of his son back in October. "He'll be everywhere with me."

Bristol, 18, and Johnston, 18, are engaged and plan to wed this summer.

Johnston -- a hockey player from Wasilla, Alaska, who dropped out of high school to take a job as an apprentice electrician -- was by Bristol's side throughout the campaign and even displayed a "Bristol" tattoo on his ring finger at the GOP convention. He told the Associated Press that there had been no pressure put on him to marry Bristol and that the two teens had made plans to wed before it was known she was pregnant.

"We both love each other," Johnston said. "We both want to marry each other. And that's what we are going to do. We were planning on getting married a long time ago with or without the kid."

Johnston has been optimistic about parenthood throughout the pregnancy.
"We're up for it," he said. "I'm excited to have my first kid. It's going to be a lot of hard work, but we can handle it."

As for Palin, in addition to being the first woman nominated by the Republican Party to run on a national ticket, she is now also a first-time grandmother. The new baby also comes eight months after Palin, 44, gave birth to her and husband Todd's fifth child, Trig.
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Cate Blanchett Talks About Plastic Surgery To Vanity Fair

Cate Blanchett says her marriage of 11 years could be over if she goes under the knife.
The actress -- who currently stars in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Brad Pitt -- tells Vanity Fair, "I haven't done anything, but who knows. Andrew [Upton] said he'd divorce me if I did anything."

But that doesn't mean she'd never mess with her famous face.
"I'm not a spokesperson against the world of injectables," The 39-year-old actress says. "If you grow up in an environment where your mother gets you a boob job when you turn 18, what hope is there? But I didn’t grow up in that world. "The reason I went to train as an actor was that I was interested in it for the long haul," she adds. "You can become very self-obsessed, but you've got to keep looking outward."

Blanchett says her body isn't the same after the birth of their three sons: Dashiell, 7; Roman, 3 and Ignatius, 7 months.

"When you've had children, your body changes; there's history to it. I like the evolution of that history; I'm fortunate to be with somebody who likes the evolution of that history."
"I think it's important to not eradicate it. I look at someone's face and I see the work before I see the person...." she adds.

Plus, Blanchett says plastic surgery doesn't stave "off the inventible" aging process.
"If you're doing it out of fear, that fear's still going to be seen through your eyes," she says. "The windows to your soul, they say."

Upton, a playwright, doesn't mind his wife's looks, Blanchett says, although he doesn't focus on them. "I'm not a trophy. He likes the vessel, but he also wants to make sure the vessel is full."

Blanchett says she wouldn't rule out having more children either.
"Who knows? Don't close those doors. The world is very overpopulated, but we do make nice ones," she says. "They all look like Andrew. To say he has dominant genes would be an understatement."
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Chyler Leigh Is Pregnant

Grey's Anatomy actress Chyler Leigh is going to be a mommy again!

The actress, 26, and her actor/musician husband, Nathan West, 30, are expecting their third child, her rep confirmed on Monday.
"She is a little over four months pregnant," her rep said. "Grey's won't be writing her pregnancy into their storyline."

The couple are parents to Noah Wilde, 5, and Taelyn, 2.

Leigh plays Dr. Lexie Grey, the neurotic half-sister of Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) on the hit ABC hospital drama.
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Chyna Hospitalized -- Too Wasted For Shrinks

We've learned Chyna was rushed to the hospital early Saturday -- her birthday. She was so drunk when she was admitted, the shrinks at the hospital couldn't even do a psych evaluation.

Paramedics were called to her home in Burbank just before 5:00 AM. Saturday. She was celebrating her birthday with a few friends and had way too many drinks -- which didn't mix well with her prescriptions.

Friends found her passed out with cuts on her arms and were so worried, they called 911. After she was taken to the hospital, doctors wanted to perform a psych evaluation, but her blood alcohol level was so high they had to wait.

We spoke with Chyna in the hospital. She said, "All I really want right now is a hamburger and fries right now."
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'Marley' Bites Competition to Win Holiday Box Office

Jennifer Aniston's dog comedy 'Marley & Me' made an estimated $37 million in weekend ticket sales, lifting the movie's total gross to $51.7 million since it opened Christmas Day.

The Twentieth Century Fox film -- also starring Owen Wilson, Alan Arkin, Eric Dane and Kathleen Turner -- already broke the record for the highest grossing film to ever open on December 25 when it brought in $14.7 million. The movie tells the story of a young couple in love that decides to bring home an adorable, but mischievous puppy named Marley.

Finishing at No. 2 for the weekend -- with an estimated $28.1 million -- was Adam Sandler's family comedy 'Bedtime Stories,' a Disney film about a hotel handyman whose life changes when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to magically come true.

Coming in third was Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett's romantic fantasy 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' which brought in an estimated $27.2 million during the weekend for Paramount Pictures. The film follows the extraordinary life of a man who is born old and ages backwards as he advances in years.

In fourth place with $21.5 million was United Artists' World War II saga 'Valkyrie,' starring Tom Cruise as a Nazi-era German army officer who participates in a plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler.
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Mark Ballas Injured on Tour

Dancing with the Stars pro Mark Ballas suffered a groin injury and will have to sit out “a couple of weeks” to heal, he announced on Saturday night in Los Angeles.

Ballas, who won the season six DWTS mirror ball trophy with Olympic skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi last May, is on tour with the show. He grimaced in pain as he apologized to the Staples Center crowd for not being able to give his all, though he did manage a spirited performance with Yamaguchi as well as a crowd-pleasing, high-energy hip-hop routine with fellow pros Lacey Schwimmer and Derek Hough.

Ballas and Hough recently completed their first CD as Ballas Hough Band for Hollywood records. Both dancers anticipate returning to DWTS for its eighth season, which kicks off on ABC on March 9.
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Dancing With The Stars On Tour

Tony Braxton and Alec Mazo performed during Dancing with the Stars: The Tour, at the Staples Center in L.A. on Saturday.

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The Rossdale Family Night Out

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale take their son Kingston roller skating at Moonlight Rollerway in LA.

It looks like he's having a GREAT time...

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Mark Wahlberg and His Daughter Take In a Game

Mark Wahlberg and daughter Ella, 5, hit a Lakers-Celtics game at the Staples Center in L.A. on Thursday

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The Golden Globes Are Back

After missing last year due to the writers' strike, the Golden Globes are back – and so is the official poster, by Los Angeles artist Colin McGrea. The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards air at 8 p.m. on Jan. 11 from The Beverly Hilton.

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Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston Set Box Office Records

There were no lumps of coal in Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston's stockings this Christmas.

The former couple both had movies in competition for the top spot on Christmas Day, and while Aniston's film pulled in the most money, both movies were winners at the box office.

Aniston's Marley & Me, a feel-good movie costarring Owen Wilson about a young family and mischievous dog, was the leader of the pack, grossing $14.8 million, the highest one-day total ever for a film opening on Christmas.

But Pitt's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button wasn't far behind. The film, about the life-long romance between a man who ages in reverse (Pitt) and a woman (Cate Blanchett), set the record for the second-highest Christmas opening of all-time with $11.8 million.
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Sopranos Actor Dead in Apparent Suicide

An actor from HBO's The Sopranos has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

John Costelloe, who played short-order cook Jim "Johnny Cakes" Witowski on the hit HBO series in 2006, was found dead in an apparent suicide on Dec. 18 at his Brooklyn, N.Y., home, Police spokesman Lt. John Grimpel confirms to the Associated Press.

Costelloe's character was the gay lover of mobster Vito Spotafore, portrayed by Joseph Gannascoli.

Police discovered his body after being called to the actor's residence when family members were unable to reach him.

Costelloe also stars as Warren Hurley opposite Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt, which is currently in theaters.
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Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Pete Wentz Release First Photo of Baby Bronx

Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Pete Wentz have released the first photo of their new baby boy, Bronx!

The couple posted an Internet holiday card on FriendsOrEnemies.com that shows a photo of Ashlee holding one-month-old Bronx, while doting dad Pete affectionately kisses him on the forehead.

The card also includes this message:

"We decided to share the best gift we could ever receive with you: Bronx Mowgli Wentz. We couldn't be happier. And in the spirit of the holidays, we'd like to encourage you to give on your own. Below is a list of worthwhile charities that need your support: TheIRC.com, RoomToGrow.org and RichieMaddenFoundation.com."
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Eartha Kitt Dies

Eartha Kitt, an actress well known for her turn as TV's Catwoman and a singer whose choral calling cards included the sultry and seasonal "Santa Baby," died on Thursday of colon cancer, says a family spokesperson. She was 81.

Kitt's career spanned six decades, during which time she won two Emmys (for her voice work in The Emperor's New School, a small-screen adaptation of the animated feature The Emperor's New Groove) and collected several Tony and Grammy nominations.

Kitt began her career in 1946 as one of the Sans-Souci Singers in Katherine Dunham's Broadway production Bal Negre. That performance drew the appreciation of Orson Welles, who cast Kitt in his Paris staging of Faust — and later dubbed the exotic beauty the "most exciting woman in the world."

Kitt's debut album was released in 1954 and featured such songs as "I Want to Be Evil" and "Santa Baby." Her first lead film role came in 1958, starring opposite Nat King Cole in St. Louis Blues.

On television, Kitt of course made a purrrrfect fit as Catwoman on the late-1960s Batman series, replacing Lee Meriwether (who originated the role in a TV-movie). A 1965 guest appearance on I Spy netted Kitt an Emmy nomination.

As an author, she penned three autobiographies as well as Rejuvenate, a 2001 guide to staying physically fit.

In her personal life, Kitt was famously outspoken. After condemning the Vietnam war at a White House luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Johnson, she was investigated by the FBI and CIA, and found herself performing almost exclusively overseas.

Kitt's most recent performances included providing the voice of Yzma in the 2000 Disney release The Emperor's New Groove and a 2003 Broadway revival of Nine (where she replaced Chita Rivera).
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Tina Fey Is The Associated Press Entertainer Of The Year

The 30 Rock star's latest accolade is from the Associated Press, which crowned her Entertainer of the Year.

Editors and publishers across the U.S. selected her as the performer "who had the greatest impact on culture and entertainment in 2008," the AP says. Plus, as one entertainment reporter told the AP, "She gave us funny when we really needed it."

Yet, in a year that saw the release of her first film, Baby Mama, and multiple kudos for Rock, it was Fey's Palin impression that may have made the biggest impression among her fans.

In 2007, another politically minded performer, Stephen Colbert, scored the news service's honor.
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Tom Brady And Gisele Engaged

Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen are engaged.

The injured football player supposedly popped the question to the supermodel on a private jet en route to Boston on Christmas Eve.

There were four dozen white roses on board, as well as champagne. Gisele's parents were said to be on the plane when a "nervous" Tom proposed.

The couple started dating last December.
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Marley And Me Tops The Holiday Box Office!

Maybe Tom Cruise should co-star with a yellow lab next time.
Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston's flick, Marley & Me, bowed yesterday with an estimated $14.5 million, a new record for a Christmas Day opener, Exhibitor Relations said today.

Brad Pitt's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button scored $11.8 million in its debut, while Adam Sandler's Bedtime Stories bowed with $10.5 million.

Cruise's Valkyrie seemed to be the odd film out among the A-list Christmas openers. The Nazi thriller ran fourth with $8.5 million. Its per-screen average, however, was higher than that of Bedtime Stories, which played at nearly 1,000 more theaters.
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Lance Armstrong's Baby Conceived Naturally

Following the news that seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong is expecting a baby with girlfriend Anna Hansen, a spokeswoman for his cancer foundation has confirmed that the baby was conceived the good ol' fashioned way!"The baby was conceived naturally," spokeswoman Rae Bazzarre said in a statement to the Associated Press on Wednesday.

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Twilight Trouble!!

Since raking in more than $150 million at the box office during its first month, the vampire romance Twilight has catapulted its cast from relative obscurity to stardom.

Now, about nine weeks before the sequel, New Moon, is set to start filming, a change in director, possible cast upheaval, lofty expectations and cast members' problems dealing with sudden fame have everyone on edge.

"There's been a lot of tension surrounding the sequel," says a cast insider. "It's a stressful time for them right now."Some of the stars appear to be dealing with the pressure by hitting the party circuit -- to such a degree that it could be affecting their work.

Robert Pattinson, 22, who stars as brooding vampire Edward Cullen, is known for his rugged bad-boy image. But after a long night at Teddy's in Hollywood recently, he was especially disheveled for a business meeting about his latest film project, Parts Per Billion. "At least one person at the meeting noted that Rob looked a little worse for wear," reveals an insider close to the actor's camp.

And his leading lady, Kristen Stewart, 18, who plays mortal Bella Swan, has her own way of coping with the attention. "It's no secret that Kristen likes to unwind by smoking pot," says the cast insider.
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Happy Holidays!

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Sneak Peek: Next Season's Biggest Loser Contestants!

ET has your sneak peek at the newest teams competing in this January's "The Biggest Loser: Couples," and it's a season of firsts! The seventh season marks the biggest season ever on the hit show -- literally! The heaviest female will be competing (379 pounds), and the heaviest contestant in the history of the show will be on this season, Daniel Wright, who weighs in at 454 pounds. This season also has the series' oldest players to date, a 63-year-old pair of retired grandparents from Illinois. The 11 teams will be coming together in hopes of changing their bodies, their health, and their lives

Take a look at the new teams competing for the 250,000 grand prize, and the loss of a lifetime!

Watch for "The Biggest Loser: Couples" as it kicks off its seventh season Tuesday, January 6 on NBC.
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Lance Armstrong to be a Dad Again

Congratulations to Lance Armstrong and his girlfriend Anna Hansen, who announced last night that they are going to become parents together.

"Anna and I are thrilled to confirm that we are expecting in June and our families are ecstatic and grateful," the Tour de France champ said in a statement. "We are very much looking forward to what 2009 brings on many fronts. We appreciate respecting our privacy, as we are both eager to celebrate the holidays as a family.

"This will be child number four for Lance, who is already the father to son Luke, 9 and 7-year-old twin daughters Isabella and Grace, with ex-wife Kristin. All three children were conceived via in vitro fertilization.

Since splitting from Kristin in 2003, Lance has been romantically linked to rock star Sheryl Crow, actress Kate Hudson and socialite/designer Tory Burch.
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