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The Church of Scientology’s heavyweights will be getting festive tonight (01DEC06) and tomorrow (02DEC06) to read Christmas stories to kids.
Stars including KIRSTIE ALLEY, GIOVANNI RIBISI, KELLY PRESTON and ERIKA CHRISTENSEN will be on hand to act out festive tales at the Church’s Celebrity Centre in Hollywood.
It’s the 14th year of the event, which has raised over $190,000 (£97,000) for local charities.

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Memphis, Tennessee Mayor WILLIE HERENTON can add boxing champ to his resume after beating former heavyweight champion JOE FRAZIER in a quirky charity match last night (30NOV06).
The two friends, who are both in their sixties, stepped into the ring for three one-minute rounds and Herenton, a former amateur boxing champion, was declared the winner of the punchy affair.
Frazier, 62, held the world’s heavyweight title from 1968 to 1973 and retired from boxing in 1976. He now runs a gym in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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WOODY HARRELSON is set for a Christmas trip across the former Soviet Union as part on an all-star thriller set on the Trans-Siberian Express.
Harrelson and British actress SAMANTHA MORTON will play husband and wife in the fast-paced film, TRANS-SIBERIAN, which will also feature SIR BEN KINGSLEY as a Russian cop.
The movie will shoot on location in Russia, Lithuania and Beijing later this month (DEC06).

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Movie mogul MARTIN SCORSESE is going back in time to medieval France to develop a movie adaptation of ERIC JAGER’s novel THE LAST DUEL: A TRUE STORY OF CRIME, SCANDAL & TRIAL BY COMBAT IN MEDIEVAL FRANCE.
It will be THE DEPARTED director’s first project since signing a new development deal with TOM CRUISE’s former movie studio Paramount Pictures.
It is not known if Scorsese will direct the film, which will focus on the last sanctioned duel between knights JEAN DE CARROUGES and JACQUES LeGRIS in 1386.
Scorsese is currently working on a documentary about THE ROLLING STONES.

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Hollywood is set to tackle Egyptian queen CLEOPATRA’s life story again with Pulitzer-prize winning author STACY SCHIFF penning the script.
It’ll be the first time movie studios have made a blockbuster about the ancient royal since ELIZABETH TAYLOR and RICHARD BURTON stunned the film world with CLEOPATRA in 1963.
Schiff will release her own biography about the queen in 2009. Columbia Pictures bosses have secured the film rights.

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Movie mogul SAUL ZAENTZ is suing movie studios Miramax and Disney for the $20 million (£10.2 million) he claims he’s owed for producing Oscar-winning film THE ENGLISH PATIENT a decade ago (96).
Zaentz claims he hasn’t seen a penny from the profits of the film, even though it made $232 million (£118.9 million) at the box office.
In his suit, filed in Los Angeles yesterday (30NOV06), Zaentz says, "Miramax has used fraudulent and unfair accounting and business practices to deprive plaintiff of its profit participation." The producer settled a similar suit with New Line executives last summer (05) after alleging the studio had not properly accounted for the revenues of its THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy.

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MEL GIBSON has blamed the pressure of making his new epic APOCALYPTO for his return to drinking.
The actor/director hit the headlines this summer (06) when he was stopped by police in California after a night of boozing.
And, speaking on Spanish news show AQUI Y AHORA last night (30NOV06), Gibson revealed his ambitious new movie led him back to the bottle.
When a host asks if the "stress and driving yourself to a limit of knowing what you could do with this film perhaps led you back to drinking," Gibson replies, "Absolutely, I think there’s a lot of pressures."

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LATEST: MICHAEL RICHARDS has agreed to settle his dispute with the two African-American hecklers he offended during his racist rant at a Los Angeles comedy club last month (NOV06).
The former SEINFELD star hurled abuse at FRANK McBRIDE and KYLE DOSS after they interrupted his flow during a stand-up routine at the Laugh Factory on 17 November (06).
Richards called them "n**gers" six times as he urged security staff to throw the two men out of the club.
The comedian has made several public apologies for his remarks, but lawyer GLORIA ALLRED, who is representing the two men, has insisted Richards should meet with the pair to apologise in person.
Richards and Allred have now issued a joint statement, writing, "Michael Richards would like to apologise in person to the gentleman with whom he had the exchange in the club.
"After discussions with Gloria Allred, Michael has agreed that they will all meet in the presence of a retired judge who will facilitate the meeting and help the parties resolve this matter.
"All concerned are hopeful that a face-to-face meeting will be constructive and begin the necessary process of healing and closure."

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CLINT EASTWOOD’s war epic FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, musical DREAMGIRLS and BABEL have emerged as early Oscars favourites after picking up 26 US Satellite Awards nominations between them.
The stunning Iwo Jima battle sequences in Eastwood’s new film earned the project a string of technical nominations among it’s 10-honour haul, while Dreamgirls picked up two Original Song nominations and nods for stars JENNIFER HUDSON and BEYONCE KNOWLES.
Babel, which stars BRAD PITT and CATE BLANCHETT, earned seven award nominations, but only RINKO KIKUCHI is named in the acting categories, securing a Best Supporting Actress honour for her role.
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO earned two acting nominations - a Best Actor nod for BLOOD DIAMOND and a Best Supporting Actor honour for THE DEPARTED.
And controversy seems to have served SACHA BARON COHEN and MEL GIBSON well the British funnyman lands a Best Actor nod in the Comedy or Musical category, while Gibson’s APOCALYPTO is among the Best Foreign Film nominees.
In the Satellite Awards’ TV categories, acclaimed new drama STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP and the SALMA HAYEK-produced UGLY BETTY lead the way with four nominations apiece.
Secured for honours at the International Press Association gala on 17 December (06) are the cast of THE DEPARTED (Best Ensemble, Motion Picture), the cast of medical TV drama GREY’S ANATOMY (Best Ensemble, Television) and actor MARTIN LANDAU, who will be presented with the Satellite’s Mary Pickford Award For Outstanding Artistic Contribution.
The full list of movie nominees is:
Actress In A Motion Picture, Drama PENELOPE CRUZ - VOLVER HELEN MIRREN - THE QUEEN JUDY DENCH - NOTES ON A SCANDAL GRETCHEN MOLL - THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL - SHERRYBABY Actor In A Motion Picture, Drama DEREK LUKE - CATCH A FIRE JOSHUA JACKSON - AURORA BOREALIS FOREST WHITAKER - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND RYAN GOSLING - HALF NELSON PATRICK WILSON - LITTLE CHILDREN LEONARDO DiCAPRIO - BLOOD DIAMOND Actress In A Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical TONI COLLETTE - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE JODIE WHITAKER - VENUS BEYONCE KNOWLES - DREAMGIRLS MERYL STREEP - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA JULIE WALTERS - DRIVING LESSONS ANNETTE BENING - RUNNING WITH SCISSORS Actor In A Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical JOSEPH CROSS - RUNNING WITH SCISSORS AARON ECKHART - THANK YOU FOR SMOKING SACHA BARON COHEN - BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN PETER O’TOOLE - VENUS WILL FERRELL - STRANGER THAN FICTION Actress In A Supporting Role ABIGAIL BRESLIN - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE LILY TOMLIN - A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION BLYTHE DANNER - THE LAST KISS RINKO KIKUCHI - BABEL CATE BLANCHETT - NOTES ON A SCANDAL JENNIFER HUDSON - DREAMGIRLS Actor In A Supporting Role DONALD SUTHERLAND - AURORA BOREALIS ADAM BEACH - FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS LEONARDO DiCAPRIO - THE DEPARTED ALAN ARKIN - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE BRAD PITT - BABEL JACK NICHOLSON - THE DEPARTED Motion Picture, Drama HALF NELSON THE DEPARTED FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS THE QUEEN THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND BABEL LITTLE CHILDREN Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE THANK YOU FOR SMOKING THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA STRANGER THAN FICTION VENUS DREAMGIRLS Motion Picture, Foreign Language THE LIVES OF OTHERS (GERMANY) VOLVER (SPAIN) CHANGING TIMES (FRANCE) WATER (CANADA) SYRIAN BRIDE (ISRAEL) APOCALYPTO (MEXICO) Motion Picture, Animated CARS ICE AGE 2: THE MELTDOWN HAPPY FEET FLUSHED AWAY PAN’S LABYRINTH Motion Picture, Documentary DELIVER US FROM EVIL THE US VS JOHN LENNON LEONARD COHEN: I’M YOUR MAN AND INCONVENIENT TRUTH JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE THE WAR TAPES Director MARTIN SCORSESE - THE DEPARTED CLINT EASTWOOD - FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS PEDRO ALMODOVAR - VOLVER STEPHEN FREARS - THE QUEEN BILL CONDON - DREAMGIRLS ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ INARRITU - BABEL Screenplay, Original CHANGING TIMES HOUSE OF SAND BABEL VOLVER THE QUEEN THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY Screenplay, Adapted FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS THANK YOU FOR SMOKING THE DEPARTED LITTLE CHILDREN DREAMGIRLS A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION Original Score GABRIEL YARED - THE LIVES OF OTHERS CLINT EASTWOOD - FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS PHILIP GLASS - NOTES ON A SCANDAL NATHAN JOHNSON - BRICK HANS ZIMMER - DA VINCI CODE GUSTAVO SANTOLALLA - BABEL Original Song JACK JOHNSON - UPSIDE DOWN (CURIOUS GEORGE) CHRIS CORNELL - YOU KNOW MY NAME (CASINO ROYALE) HENRY KRIEGER & SIEDAH GARRETT - LOVE YOU I DO (DREAMGIRLS) BRYAN ADAMS & TREVOR RABIN - NEVER LET GO (THE GUARDIAN) HENRY KRIEGER, BEYONCE KNOWLES & ANNE PREVIN - LISTEN (DREAMGIRLS) NICK URATA DEVOTCHKA - TILL THE END OF TIME (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) Cinematography RICARDO DELLA ROSA - HOUSE OF SAND TOM STERN - FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS VILMOS ZSIGMOND - THE BLACK DAHLIA PHILIPPE LESOURD - A GOOD YEAR DANTE SPINOTTI - X-MEN: THE LAST STAND MATTHEW LIBATIQUE - THE FOUNTAIN ZHAO XIAODING - CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER Visual Effects FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST X-MEN: THE LAST STAND V FOR VENDETTA THE FOUNTAIN PAN’S LABYRINTH THE DA VINCI CODE Film Editing X-MEN: THE LAST STAND FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS MIAMI VICE BABEL DREAMGIRLS Sound Editing X-MEN: THE LAST STAND FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS BABEL DREAMGIRLS DA VINCI CODE Art Direction/Production Design MARIE ANTOINETTE FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS DREAMGIRLS PAN’S LABYRINTH V FOR VENDETTA Costume Design MARIE ANTOINETTE THE BLACK DAHLIA CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER DREAMGIRLS THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
.

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THE WHO rocker PETE TOWNSHEND has named London’s Sadlers Wells Opera House the world’s best performance space.
The guitarist performed his LIFEHOUSE CHRONICLES at the venue in early 2000 and admits he has never been so amazed by a theatre’s acoustics.
He says, "It has astonishing acoustics for orchestra and guitar."

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PEARL JAM stunned fans in Hawaii last night (30NOV06) by performing an unannounced set as part of the opening night of the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational surfing competition.
The group’s secret show at the Waimea Valley Audubon Center on Oahu was a treat for the 300-plus music fans who turned up to watch the festival’s first night activities.
The rockers were joined by surfing hero KELLY SLATER, a friend of Pear Jam frontman EDDIE VEDDER, for their 15-song set.
He joined the group on guitar for a version of NEIL YOUNG’S ROCKIN’ IN THE FREE WORLD.
Vedder showed off his surfing skills earlier yesterday (30NOV06) when he took part in the festival’s Paddle Out opening ceremony.
Pearl Jam will play a headlining show at Honolulu’s Blaisdell Center tomorrow night (02DEC06) and they’ll stay in Hawaii for their upcoming support slot on U2’s island show at Aloha Stadium.

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BRITNEY SPEARS’ estranged husband KEVIN FEDERLINE is looking to extend his 15 minutes of fame with a new reality TV show.
The dancer-turned-rapper, 28, is in negotiations to develop his own reality series with KENNETH CREAR, the brains behind hit show HOUSE OF CARTERS, which follows the exploits of pop stars NICK and AARON CARTER and their siblings as they attempt to live together.
Crear says, "Kevin came to me because he liked the way I shot the House of Carters series and the way I made Nick Carter look real and trustworthy." And the producer insists the new show will not be full of Federline’s attacks on his wife: "Kevin doesn’t dislike or hate Britney. The show will show him for who he is but (will) not smear her." Crear reveals he and Federline are looking to develop eight episodes that will run over three months on US TV.
Federline is not a virgin to reality TV - he starred alongside his wife in the much-maligned home video series CHAOTIC, which chronicled the couple’s courtship.

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The single mum who romanced rapper DMX and gave birth to his son is refuting claims she stalked him after falling pregnant.
MONIQUE WAYNE was stunned when DMX’s angry wife TASHERA confronted her on the phone one night, calling her a "bitch" and then joined her husband for a recent magazine interview in which they referred to her as a stalker who "raped" the rap star.
Wayne insists she only slept with DMX when she thought he was single and never had sex with him again after learning he was married.
And, as for the stalker claims, she insists she only tackled Tashera once when she returned his call.
Furious Wayne says, "He called me, I returned his phone call and she returned the phone call for him and she told me, ‘Stop calling my husband, you bitch.’ "I explained to her that I was just returning his phone call and she hung up." Wayne is now suing DMX for defamation following his claims that the mother of his young son took advantage of him after he was tired after a concert.

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BRITNEY SPEARS is taking steps to cover up after her underwear-free partying landed her in publications around the world flashing her privates.
The pop superstar has twice been caught without panties in the past week, while partying with new pals PARIS HILTON and LINDSAY LOHAN, among others.
But now, in an effort to keep her privates private, Spears has spent a whopping $3,800 (£1,948) on underwear.
News website TMZ.com reports the singer was spotted buying thongs and bras from trendy Hollywood boutique Le Bra Lingerie, where KATIE HOLMES went shopping for sexy lingerie before her recent Italian wedding.
A source says, "Britney came in with a female friend. She tried on everything she bought. She’s a 36C. She said to her friend, ‘I could live here.’" Among the single mother-of-two’s reported purchases were a camisole and thong set for $1,666 (£854) and a sexy black corset and matching red thong for $380 (£195).

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Hollywood star LINDSAY LOHAN has spoken out in support of her mum, insisting it’s fine for DINA to spend the night partying with her. The MEAN GIRLS actress claims it’s unfair her 44-year-old mum’s been criticised for hitting New York City clubs recently - because nobody cares when a man of the same age spends the night drinking. Lohan fumes, "(It’s) ridiculous. She’s a grown woman, and allowed to go out! My mum gets s**t but GEORGE CLOONEY can go out and not get in trouble for it."

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JOHNNY DEPP is terrifying his longterm partner VANESSA PARADIS by going to extreme lengths to get into his new role as Demon Barber SWEENEY TODD.
Depp starts rehearsals for the film adaptation of STEPHEN SONDHEIM’s musical in London next month (JAN07), but he’s preparing for the part already by slitting imaginary throats to the soundtrack of DIES IRAE (DAY OF WRATH) - the 13th century Latin Hymn traditionally used in the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass.
A source tells British newspaper the Daily Express, "Johnny is always very conscientious in his roles. Now he says he has to get into the mind set of a serial killer. He wants to feel adept with the razor blades, to feel as if they were an extension of his arm.
"But he’s terrifying everyone by walking around his home booming out the song - making an arc with his arm when he slits a person’s throat. "Sweeney calls his razors his ‘friends’ and in this song the Demon Barber pours out his love to his blades."

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PARIS HILTON has put her feud with her THE SIMPLE LIFE co-star NICOLE RICHIE firmly behind her, insisting they are "friends forever now".
The childhood pals mysteriously fell out in January 2005 after a life-long friendship, but they made up after holding a reconciliation dinner in Los Angeles in October (06), and Hilton insists their reunion is permanent. She gushes, "We’ve been friends for 23 years of our lives and when you’ve known someone that long she’s like a sister. I’m really happy to have her back in my life. I love her to death! We’re definitely friends forever now." "She’s amazing. Nicole has a great personality, she’s beautiful and sweet, and she’s fun to hang out with. She’s hysterical - she can make me laugh so hard!"

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DUSTIN HOFFMAN’s children insist their father was playing himself when he appeared as BEN STILLER’s embarrassing dad in the 2004 movie MEET THE FOCKERS.
Hoffman claims he had plenty of practise for the kooky role because he’s enjoyed making his six kids blush for years. Describing how embarrassing he can be, he says, "If you were asking my children, they would say I take the prize. I’ve been doing it all their lives, but I try and do it in a way that is amusing. "When I did Meet The Fockers, I came home and they all looked at me and said, ‘Well, Dad, you finally played yourself.’

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