A ROYAL BABY ON THE WAY
The rumors have finally been confirmed – Prince William and wife Kate Middleton are expecting their first child. "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby," read a statement from the prince’s office. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news." Kate, who married William in April, 2011, is currently at the King Edward VII hospital suffering from acute morning sickness. She is expected to be there for several days. [See Spotlight On for more.]
IRS SEIZES LINDSAY’S BANK ACCOUNTS
Nothing seems to be going right for Lindsay Lohan. Not only is she facing new legal issues, but according to TMZ, she’s got major money issues as well. The site reports that the IRS has seized Lohan’s bank accounts because she owes the government $233,904 in unpaid federal taxes for 2009 and 2010. Lohan was given plenty of time to settle her debts, and Charlie Sheen even lent her $100,000 to help, but she still has an outstanding balance. The IRS reportedly grew impatient with Lindsay, especially since she is said to have earned about $2 million this year.
TRAVOLTA SUED BY ALLEGED FORMER GAY LOVER
John Travolta is facing another lawsuit by a man claiming to be his former lover. Doug Gotterba worked as Travolta’s pilot from 1981-1987 and recently told the National Enquirer about his “steamy affair” with the Pulp Fiction star. After the article, Gotterba claims he received a threatening letter from Travolta’s attorney Marty Singer, saying they would sue Gotterba for violating a confidentiality agreement he signed when he stopped working for the actor. Well, Gotterba is the one doing the suing, claiming he did sign a termination agreement when he left, but it did not include a confidentiality agreement, so he is free to talk to anyone he wants to without fear of a lawsuit. Singer calls Gotterba’s suit “ridiculous” and insists the pilot signed a confidentiality agreement. Singer adds, "Mr. Gotterba obviously filed this lawsuit to get his 15 minutes of fame. We plan to get this meritless case promptly dismissed."
ROB KARDASHIAN SINGLE/ACCUSES EX OF CHEATING
Sounds like Rob Kardashian is single again. The reality show star reportedly split from singer Rita Ora over the weekend and took to Twitter to vent about the breakup. “She cheated on me with nearly 20 dudes while we were together, I wonder how many she will sleep with now that we are apart? But I mean 20?!!!,” he wrote. His sister Khloe then tweeted her support, writing, “Cheaters never prosper @RobKardashian ill be home today… Try and smile little brother.” (Both tweets were later deleted.)
Q-Rob made it to the finals of Dancing with the Stars in season 13 but lost to which contestant? J.R. Martinez
KIM IS YAHOO’S MOST SEARCHED CELEB
In other Kardashian news…Kim Kardashian has been named Yahoo’s “Most Searched Person” of 2012. She was also the top searched female celebrity and reality TV star, and the third most searched topic of the year (behind the election and the iPhone 5). Others making Yahoo’s Most Searched Lists include: Justin Bieber, who was the top searched male celebrity and one-half of the most searched celebrity breakup (with Selena Gomez); and Beyonce and Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy, who was named top searched celebrity baby.
SWIFT & STYLES GO TO THE ZOO
Taylor Swift and One Direction’s Harry Styles took their rumored new romance public over the weekend. The couple visited New York’s Central Park Zoo Sunday afternoon, where they were photographed enjoying the animals alongside the 15-month-old daughter of Styles’ hairdresser Lou Teasdale. (Teasdale and her fiancé were with them.) Swift and Styles have reportedly been spending a lot of time together recently. Just last month they were seen holding hands backstage at The X Factor.
Q-What is the name of One Direction’s debut album, which was released in 2011? Up All Night
BECKHAM TEAMING WITH RAMSAY FOR RESTAURANT
David Beckham’s Major League Soccer career ended over the weekend, but he won’t be sitting around twiddling his thumbs. He recently revealed that he plans to go into the restaurant business with TV chef Gordon Ramsay. “We’ve got something in the pipeline,” Becks told Ryan Seacrest. “It’s something I have always wanted to do. I’ve always loved cooking.” And Becks may have plans to be more than just a business partner. He says he’s been taking cooking classes, and adds, “I’d love to cook for Gordon, and definitely will one day.”
Q-Ramsay currently has several shows airing on the Fox network, but what was the first show that introduced him to American audiences? Hell’s Kitchen
BACHELOR’S JAKE PAVELKA DATING KRISTIN CHENOWETH
Former Bachelor Jake Pavelka has found a new woman, and she’s an Emmy and Tony Award winner. Kristin Chenoweth has confirmed reports that she and the former reality show star are dating. The odd couple met in October, and they were soon seen dining together in West Hollywood and Dallas on separate occasions. On Sunday, Chenoweth, who was injured on the set of The Good Wife earlier this year, confirmed to People, “we have been spending a little time together.”
THE HOBBIT MAKES MOVIEGOERS SICK
The Hobbit fans may want to bring along some Dramamine when they go to the theater later this month. According to The Mail, some audience members at last week’s New Zealand premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey got sick to their stomach thanks to the film’s high-speed cinematography. One fan tweeted, “I left loving the movie but feeling sick,” while another described the feeling as similar to being on a roller coaster, writing, “You have to hold your stomach down and let your eyes pop at first to adjust. This is not for wimps.” The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens December 14th.
Q-Martin Freeman, who plays Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, most recently played Dr. Watson on the BBC series Sherlock. What actor played Sherlock? Benedict Cumberbatch
VODKA COMPANY FIGHTS THE SITUATION
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is suing a vodka company for reneging on a sponsorship deal, and now the liquor company is fighting back. The Situation claims the makers of Devotion Vodka owe him $5 million, but the company says the Jersey Shore star didn’t keep up his end of their deal. They say that at the time they signed the deal with The Situation, he was concealing a drug problem. (He went to rehab in March.) In addition, the company says the reality star was frequently late for appearances, and also tried asking investors for marijuana. On one occasion, they say The Situation refused to come out of a bathroom, and when he finally did he was seen “sniffing” what security guards later determined to be a “cocaine-like residue.”
GLANVILLE & RIMES FEUDING AGAIN
Brandi Glanville once again has issues with her ex-husband Eddie Cibrian’s wife LeAnn Rimes. Over the weekend, LeAnn tweeted that she was off for a weekend getaway with Eddie and his two sons, Mason and Jake, writing, “Flying out with my boys in a few hours. Love that it’s a family tour weekend. It’s always more fun when they are with me.” Well, Brandi didn’t care too much for the tweet. “Someone is trying to get under my skin by calling my children ‘her boys.’ So transparent,” tweeted Brandi. “They are my boys, Eddie’s boys and your stepsons…for now.”
Q-What is the name of LeAnn Rimes’ ex-husband? Dean Sheremet
ARMSTRONG CONSIDERING HOUSEWIVES DEPARTURE
Taylor Armstrong may be ready to say goodbye to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. According to Radaronline, Taylor is “seriously considering” leaving the Bravo show in order to move to Colorado to be closer to new beau John Bluher. "Taylor's Beverly Hills rental home that she has lived in for years is being sold and she has told her friends that when that happens she will probably leave Southern California with her daughter, Kennedy, and move to Colorado to be with John," a source tells RadarOnline.com. "She'd marry him tomorrow if she could.”
LACHEY KICKED OUT OF STADIUM
Nick Lachey was kicked out of San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium Sunday for some overzealous trash talk during the San Diego Chargers’ game against Lachey’s favorite team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Lachey wasn’t too ashamed about the incident, and even bragged about it on Twitter, writing "Just got kicked out of the chargers stadium and couldn't be prouder! Go Cincy Bengals.” After his team won, he took to Twitter again writing, “Bengals win again. i'd talk trash to everyone in SD, but what's the point? you already had me kicked out of the stadium and you still lost." Lachey later released a statement clarifying what exactly happened. “For the record, I was not kicked out of the chargers game for excessive 'trash talking'. no, that honor belonged to the guy in front of me!,” he said, adding, "I simply don't appreciate someone turning around and putting their finger in my face. call me crazy, but that deserved a reaction." And Lachey had nothing bad to say about the fans in the stadium. "Aside from a few exceptions, I had a great time hanging with Charger fans all afternoon. honestly, some of the nicest fans around,” he said.
Q-Lachey hosted three seasons of what NBC singing competition? The Sing-Off
TYSON SAYS HE CAUGHT PITT IN BED WITH EX
Mike Tyson revealed on the Yahoo Sports show In Depth with Graham Bensinger that he once caught Brad Pitt in bed with his then-estranged wife Robin Givens. “I was doing a divorce but every day, before I would go to my lawyer's office to say, ‘She's a pig and stealing,’ I would go to her house to have sex with her,” he said. “This particular day, someone beat me to the punch. And I guess Brad got there earlier than I did." Added Tyson, “You should have saw his face when he saw me.” Tyson also admitted that he only agreed to appear in The Hangover to fund his cocaine habit, and says he was high while shooting the movie. “They had to know I was messed up. I couldn't talk. I had the cocaine talk,” he said. “So those guys are just beautiful people. They had my back, and I appreciate that and stuff, then they asked me to come back [in The Hangover 2].”
Q-In The Hangover, what do the main characters (played by Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha and Bradley Cooper) steal from Tyson? His tiger
THREE CUPS OF TEA CO-AUTHOR DIES
David Oliver Relin, who co-authored 2006’s best-selling memoir Three Cups of Tea, committed suicide on November 14th. According to a family spokesperson, Relin, 49, had been suffering from depression. Three Cups of Tea detailed Greg Mortenson’s attempt to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan through his charity the Central Asia Institute. It came under fire in 2011, when 60 Minutes and author Jon Krakauer reported that facts in the book were fabricated, including details regarding the number of schools that were built.
MISCELLANEOUS MOVIE NEWS
Chronicle’s Dane DeHaan will play Harry Osborn in the upcoming sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man. James Franco played the character in the Sam Raimi Spidey trilogy.
The New York Film Critics Circle yesterday named Zero Dark Thirty, Kathryn Bigelow’s movie about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, their Film of the Year. Bigelow was also named Best Director. Other winners included: Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Actor, Lincoln; Rachel Weisz, Best Actress, The Deep Blue Sea; Sally Field, Best Supporting Actress, Lincoln and Matthew McConaughey, Best Supporting Actor, Bernie and Magic Mike.
Brad Pitt’s new movie tanked at the box office this weekend. Killing Them Softly made only $7 million, and earned an “F” from viewers on the CinemaScore website. The film is the worst live-action, wide release opening of Pitt’s career.
The nominees for the 40th Annual Annie Awards (which recognize the best in the field of animation) were announced yesterday. Flicks up for Best Animated Feature include: Brave, Frankenweenie, Hotel Transylvania, ParaNorman, Rise of the Guardians, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, The Rabbi’s Cat and Wreck-It Ralph. Winners will be announced February 2nd.
TV TIDBITS
NBC announced yesterday that Howard Stern will be returning to America’s Got Talent for a second season. Stern’s fellow judge Sharon Osbourne has already announced she will not be back. So far there’s no official word on the future of host Nick Cannon or judge Howie Mandel.
Former Law & Order star S. Epatha Merkerson has landed a recurring role on the upcoming NBC drama series Deception. The series stars Meagan Good as a detective who goes undercover at the wealthy home where she grew up (she was the maid’s daughter) to find out who killed her former best friend. Merkerson will play Good’s mom. Deception premieres January 7th at 10 pm.
J.K. Rowling’s new novel The Casual Vacancy is coming to the small screen. The book, the Harry Potter author’s first adult novel, will be adapted for TV by the BBC. The series is expected to air in 2014.
Spike TV has ordered a third season of Ink Master, which will debut next summer. In addition, the network has ordered a second season of Tattoo Nightmares, which will go into production early next year.
