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LATEST: Disgraced former VILLAGE PEOPLE star VICTOR WILLIS was sentenced to three years probation on drug and gun possession charges yesterday (05SEP06) by a California judge.
The MACHO MAN singer, 55, pleaded no contest and was given a suspended three-year, eight-month prison sentence on the condition that he complete a 30-day drug treatment program at the Betty Ford Center in Southern California, followed by at least six months in a treatment program in Long Beach, California.
The judge warned that Willis, the policeman in the 1970s group, would go to prison if he violated his probation.
The former star was arrested in San Francisco, California in March (06) after police found cocaine and drug paraphernalia in his car.
He was already in trouble with authorities after failing to attend a court appearance on another drug charge last year (05).
Willis was married to THE COSBY SHOW star PHYLICIA RASHAD from 1978-1980.

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Despite living in Los Angeles for 10 years, Australian actress RADHA MITCHELL still hasn’t adapted to American life.
She may not be a heavy drinker or eat meat, but the SILENT HILL actress insists she is an old fashioned Aussie at heart - even if it displeases other people - and she intends to move back in 10 years time.
Mitchell says, "I keep being accused of being insensitive by people. They think that’s very Australian because Australian’s have the idea of ‘You’ll get over it’. Australians are very tough that way, whereas Americans like to be neurotic and celebrate it.
"Otherwise, I don’t know if I’m very Australian.
"When I first landed in LA I thought it had no soul. But you can create your own universe in LA. It’s something you can’t do in any other place because it’s such a big, strong city where nobody really cares what you do. There’s a freedom to that, which you do miss when you’re not in LA."

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Former BAYWATCH star DAVID HASSELHOFF banned Playboy Playmates from auditioning for the hit show - because he didn’t want to encourage actresses to strip.
The actor/producer feared wannabes would pose naked, thinking it could be used as a stepping stone towards acting.
Hasselhoff says, "I was completely opposed to telling girls that if they took their clothes off, they could get a job in television. Somewhere along the line somebody was going to get raped and they were going to blame Baywatch.
"I didn’t want any more Playmates on Baywatch." Hasselhoff didn’t stick to his rule too stringently - he went on to hire PAMELA ANDERSON, CARMEN ELECTRA and DONNA D’ERRICO, all proud

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British actress JULIE WALTERS has laughed off reports she and her husband GRANT ROFFEY are ‘the happiest couple in showbiz’, insisting they are constantly working on their marriage.
The BILLY ELLIOT star has been married to Roffey for 21 years, and they have one daughter MAISIE together.
But Walters hates being labelled as a ‘perfect couple’ by the media in her native Britain and worries they make other couples jealous.
Walters says, "It’s not true, and even if it were, it would be awful for people who are having difficult times in their marriages to read it.
"The truth is, we have rough times and smooth times; happy and sad times. But basically we trust and love one another and we get through the difficult patches by talking and constantly staying in touch."

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Hollywood actor EMILIO ESTEVEZ is convinced that the downfall of modern American society began when ROBERT F KENNEDY was assassinated in 1968.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB star directs BOBBY, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival this week (beg04SEP06) and chronicles the last 16 hours of Kennedy’s life.
And Estevez, son of MARTIN SHEEN and brother of CHARLIE SHEEN, insists that if Kennedy had lived, America would have been a better place.
He says, "To this day, Bobby Kennedy remains one of the greatest ‘what if he had lived’ questions. I think we went into a freefall after he died.
"The Chicago convention followed. (RICHARD) NIXON was elected president. Then came Watergate and we became a very cynical nation. We have yet to recover. We are still grieving.
"Bobby was a very sexy man, 42 years old and charismatic. We need again to sex up the process, if you will. We’re broken right now.
"I hope people will find Bobby (the film) an inspiration."

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BAYWATCH star DAVID HASSELHOFF hired PAMELA ANDERSON on the spot when she auditioned for the show - because the producers couldn’t keep their eyes off her breasts.
In an extract from his forthcoming biography MAKING WAVES, Hasselhoff reminisces about his first encounter with the legendary pin up.
He says, "Pamela was wearing a halter top and skirt. When we asked her to read a page of the script, she stood up, stripped off her top and a skirt to reveal a swimsuit underneath. The guys couldn’t take their eyes off her breasts.
"I said, ‘Put a camera on her.’ Pamela proceeded to read her lines and was so charming and funny - and so absurdly beautiful - that it was no contest.
Everybody wanted her, so I said, ‘Okay, she’s in.’"

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Veteran Bollywood actor AMITABH BACHCHAN is trying his hand at scriptwriting for a new movie project.
The prolific Indian icon is helping write the script for JOHNNY WALKER, a love story set to be directed by SOOJIT SIRCAR.
The film will be Bachchan’s first after recovering from intestine surgery earlier this year (06).
Bachchan says, "I am excited about Johnny Walker, hence more involved."

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Hollywood veteran JOHN CONTE has died at the age of 90.
Conte passed away on Monday (04SEP06) at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California of natural causes, a hospital spokesperson has confirmed.
During a TV and film career that spanned four decades, Conte starred in episodes of THE UNTOUCHABLES, PERRY MASON, BONANZA and STUDIO ONE and FRANK SINATRA film THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM.
He was also a permanent cast member in the companies of GEORGE BURNS, GRACIE ALLEN, EDWARD ROBINSON and The Silver Theatre - and made numerous Broadway, New York stage appearances including CAROUSEL and WINDY CITY.
Conte is survived by his widow, SIRPUHE PHILIBOSIAN CONTE, a son, two daughters and six grandchildren.

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LINDSAY LOHAN is planning to use her role in political drama BOBBY to encourage her fans to become engaged in national issues.
EMILIO ESTEVEZ’s movie focuses on the 22 people who were in Los Angeles’ Ambassador Hotel when US Presidential hopeful ROBERT KENNEDY - brother of slain US President JOHN F KENNEDY - was assassinated in June 1968.
And Lohan - who stars alongside SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS, MARTIN SHEEN and SHARON STONE - hopes her role as a bride, who is marrying her boyfriend’s brother so he can dodge the Vietnam War draft, will encourage young people to vote.
The 20-year-old says, "For people of my generation, I think it’s important to bring awareness of a great leader. I feel I have always been somewhat politically engaged.
"I strongly encourage people of my age and generation to have a say and to vote, and to involve themselves in what’s going on in the world, because they are living in it.
"I’ve always been like that but I keep it to myself. It’s safer that way."

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Shooting WORLD TRADE CENTER was especially painful for actor NICOLAS CAGE, because he lost a friend on September 11th (01) The OLIVER STONE movie deals with the true story of two firemen trapped in the debris of the fallen towers - one of whom is played by the FACE/OFF actor.
He says, "I knew a chef who had worked in Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top on one of the towers. He didn’t make it, which made the whole thing even more personal for me." The Oscar winning actor, who has donated his reported $7.2 million (£4 million) salary to charity, says, "I was shocked and horrified when I turned on the television, and I haven’t been able to get those images out of my head since."

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Canadian pop beauty NELLY FURTADO felt a fraud as a musician because of her immediate success.
The singer rocketed to stardom at 21 when I’M LIKE A BIRD became an instant hit in 2001, but she felt success came too early for her.
Furtado says, "The world becomes this huge buffet table for you to take what you want. That’s about when I started to feel a bit like a fraud as a musician.
"I had this hang up about SHERYL CROW. I thought she was amazing and to me she was the one woman in the industry who deserved all this respect. "The reason I thought she had the respect was that she’d spent 15 years struggling to make it, because she was 34 when she had her first huge hit, not 21 like me."

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UK hip-hop star SWAY has leaped to the aid of wannabe rapper SIR ELTON JOHN, insisting he’d be delighted to collaborate on a record.
The rock veteran clearly developed a taste for the genre when he sang with EMINEM at the 2001 Grammy Awards, and now he wants to explore rap further by uniting with hip-hop heavyweights such as TIMBALAND and KANYE WEST.
London-born Sway, who was nominated for this year’s (06) Mercury Prize, only learned of John’s aspirations last night (05SEP06) but immediately offered his skills - at a price.
He said, "If Elton hollers at me I’m up for it.
"I’d charge him a lot though because he’s got a bit of money."

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British rockers MUSE overcame their fear of flying to charter a private jet so they arrived on time for the Mercury Music Prize in London last night (05SEP06).
The TIME IS RUNNING OUT hitmakers last hired a plane for a London gig at the start of their career but, after an engine caught on fire, the terrified group vowed never to fly to a show again.
Frontman MATT BELLAMY says, "For years we’d rather take a 40 hour bus journey than get on board a private jet.
"This was our first since that incident.
"It was the only way we could make it tonight from Italy." Muse were nominated for their latest album BLACK HOLES & REVELATIONS but were beaten by the ARCTIC MONKEY’s debut WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM, THAT’S WHAT I’M NOT.

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Former COLOR ME BADD singer SAM WATTERS married former AMERICAN IDOL contestant TAMYRA GRAY in Italy last weekend (02SEP06).
The I WANNA SEX YOU UP hitmaker, 36, and Gray - a finalist from the first season of the TV talent show - wed on the island of Capri in the Gulf of Naples.
Songwriter/producer Watters proposed to Gray, 27, on Valentine’s Day (14FEB06).
Watters has written and produced music for CELINE DION, JESSICA SIMPSON and Gray’s former Idol castmate KELLY CLARKSON.

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British rockers DIRTY PRETTY THINGS have cancelled their European tour next month, citing a change to their schedule.
The group, fronted by former LIBERTINES singer CARL BARAT, were meant to support Swedish rock group MANDO DIAO during their road trip.
But a statement released today (06SEP06) reads, "We are sorry to announce that Dirty Pretty Things have had to cancel their support slot on Mando Diao’s European tour due to an unavoidable change in the band’s schedule. The band sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to those planning on going to any of the gigs and look forward to playing in Europe again soon."

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Socialite turned singer PARIS HILTON’s music career has been given backing by an unlikely celebrity fan - pop queen MADONNA.
Hilton has become friends with Madonna since the pair, who are both signed to the same record label, met recently. Despite the savage reviews and poor sales of her debut album PARIS by critics, she has already found a fan in JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, and now the MATERIAL GIRL.
Hilton says, "I met Madonna in London and she said it was a credit to hear my album.
"I went to her concert in Vegas and saw her at the after-party. She’s just so nice. I really look up to her. She’s amazing."

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Hip-hop star LUDACRIS has signed up ex-con rappers PIMP C, BEANIE SIGEL and COREY ‘C-MURDER’ MILLER for a musical reflection on life behind bars.
Miller is currently on house arrest awaiting a second trial for the 2002 murder of Louisiana teenage STEVE THOMAS, while Sigel was released from prison last year (05) after serving a sentence for weapon charges.
Texas rapper Pimp C, real name CHAD BUTLER, was released on parole in December (05) after serving half of his sentence for failing to complete community service for an aggravated gun charge.
Ludacris, real name CHRIS BRIDGES, gathered the controversial rappers together for the track DO YOUR TIME on his forthcoming new album RELEASE THERAPY.
He tells MTV.com, "It’s me, Pimp C, Beanie Sigel and C-Murder talking about people that’s locked up.
To be able to get all three of them on the same record - and everybody knows their history, what’s gone on in their lives over the last five years - it’s going to be one of those songs that’s gonna hit you. It’s already certified just by saying the names that’s on there.
"I got C-Murder. I’m talking about as soon as he touched down (from prison).
So I thank each and every one of them for doing that, man. Pimp just got out, Beanie and C-Murder. So it’s a classic song."

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ROD STEWART blasted British comedian RUSSELL BRAND onstage at the GQ Man Of The Year Awards last night (05SEP06), after the funnyman boasted of sleeping with the rocker’s daughter KIMBERLY.
Socialite Kimberly, 27, was linked to MTV and Channel 4 presenter Brand, 31, in July (06) - two months after he was photographed leaving supermodel KATE MOSS’ London home after they spent the night together.
Speaking onstage at the London ceremony on Tuesday, Brand said, "Here’s to Rod Stewart who had a go at me earlier this year for too much womanising. But then I did have a go on his daughter." Accepting his Outstanding Achievement award immediately after Brand’s comments, Stewart blasted, "You went with my daughter, did you?" To which Brand replied, "I took her out for one evening." When Stewart demanded, "Did you behave yourself?", Brand insisted, "I never touched that girl." Stewart hit back, "F**king right you didn’t. You mustn’t come up here and boast. I speak here as a father." After his on-stage tirade, Stewart said, "He might be a bit of player, but he shouldn’t boast. I never did. Russell’s been a bit timid since I had my say."

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