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JODIE FOSTER has had a life-long fear of cats since she was almost mauled to death by a lion when she was eight years old.
The actress was a child star on the set of 1972 movie Napoleon And Samantha, when a big cat co-star lashed out at her.
Foster remembers, "I was walking ahead of him. He was on an invisible leash, some piano wire. He got sick of me being slow, picked my up and held me sideways and shook me like a doll.
"I was in shock and thought it was an earthquake. I turned around and saw the entire crew running off in the other direction.
"The trainer then said, ‘Drop it’ and he opened his mouth and dropped me." Foster insists she had no problem returning to the set two weeks later and firmly believes the animal spared her life - but she admits the incident 36 years ago has left her wary of all kinds of felines.
The 45-year-old - who plays a phobic adventurer in new movie Nim’s Castle tells U.S. talk show host Jay Leno, "Now cats freak me out a little bit."

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DITA VON TEESE had a "long list" of reasons to split from MARILYN MANSON, including the shock rockers drug-taking.
The pair’s year-long union ended in December 2006, when the burlesque star moved out of the marital home.
Their relationship had deteriorated so much, when asked by The New York Times of the best thing about their divorce, she replies, "There’s a long list of things".
Von Teese adds, "I am happy to have the drugs out of my life." And she celebrated becoming a single girl in an extravagant fashion: "I took my engagement diamond and had it transformed at Christian Dior in Paris into a beautiful ring. It’s nice; it’s big. I feel like I suffered greatly for that diamond, and it needed to be reborn into something better.
"One of my big extravagances when I moved out of my former husband’s house was a matching pink stove and refrigerator in ’50s style."

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Sales of CHRIS CORNELL’s cover of MICHAEL JACKSON classic BILLIE JEAN have increased by 300 per cent following a wannabe’s performance of the track on AMERICAN IDOL.
Former Soundgarden and Audioslave rocker Cornell recorded a dark, growling version of Jackson’s 1982 track for his 2007 album Carry On.
And following American Idol contestant David Cook’s "note-for-note" version of Cornell’s cover on the U.S. TV talent show last week (25Mar08), fans have clamoured to download the track online.
Cornell says, "You can clearly see that the judges are giving this guy credit for it on national television. My fans were like, ‘Wait a minute! That’s Chris Cornell’s moment.’ "Don’t get me wrong. He sang it great. But it was literally a note-for-note take on what I came up with.
"At the end of the day, it’s all good. It’s a good thing for me. There was a moment when I was sitting there writing this new arrangement thinking, `Is this a good idea or a bad idea?’ "Watching the response from the judges was really gratifying. They were signing off on it right there."

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GEORGE CLOONEY banned RENEE ZELLWEGER from goofing around on the set of new period sports comedy LEATHERHEADS - because he feared his star would get injured.
The movie hunk was far from amused when he discovered the actress was fooling around on set with an American football, in costume, while he was directing and starring in scenes.
But Zellweger admits there were footballs everywhere and she couldn’t resist picking them up and throwing them to castmates and extras.
She tells Parade.com, "I looked ridiculous… I had on my hat with the feather, and my little high heeled buckled shoes and gloves while I was throwing the pigskin, but I couldn’t help myself.
"When I gave it a toss, the director, that would be Mr. Clooney, scolded me and said, ‘You put that thing down. What am I going to do with you when you miss (a catch) and take one on the nose and we’ve got a close up? Put that ball down.’ "I thought he was a spoilsport."

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Pop superstar MADONNA is following in the footsteps of talk show queen OPRAH WINFREY with plans to build a girls’ school in Africa.
The Material Girl is in the process of applying to found the educational establishment in Malawi, where she adopted her son David in 2006.
She tells American magazine Elle, "I’m buying land and getting permission to build a girl’s school. The women will play a big role in the future and rebirth of Malawi." Winfrey co-founded the all-girls Henley-On-Klip Leadership Academy in South Africa in 2006.
And Madonna, who currently governs a Malawi based charity project, isn’t the only U.S. star helping students in the African nation - actress and TV personality Ricki Lake is helping to build a school founded by her Malawian nanny.

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Former THE A-TEAM heavy MR. T is taking on DRACULA, dinosaurs and assorted monsters in a new comic book series - and it’s not an April Fool’s Day prank.
Mohawk Media publishers have turned the actor - real name Laurence Tureaud into a comic book superhero after tasting success with a recent limited edition graphic novel, featuring the Rocky III star.
The first confirmed title of the new series is Mr. T Versus Dracula.
Author Christopher Bunting says, "When I proposed these crossovers, Mohawk Media jumped at the chance and went to great lengths to make them happen.
"Who can blame them? Two legends - a living legend and an undead legend going toe to toe. It doesn’t get much more exciting than that!" And Mr. T is thrilled to be part of the new comic book series: "All these suckers with their fancy powers! They need a reality check, and only one guy can do that, and that’s me, Mr. T.
"There ain’t no difference if they’re a vampire, a dinosaur, a mutant; if they’re doing wrong, then it needs Mr. T to set things straight."

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Actor TOM SIZEMORE is set to clean up his act by playing a metrosexual caterer in his first romantic comedy action film.
The tough guy star of films like Blackhawk Down and Saving Private Ryan signed up as the male lead in former fighting champion Mimi Lesseos’ new film Double Duty in an effort to revitalise his acting career after a stint behind bars.
Sizemore was released early from a 16-month prison sentence in December (07).
He was incarcerated for eight months after violating his probation in relation to a 2004 methamphetamine conviction.
The prison spell came at an end of a lengthy legal battle for the actor, which began when former girlfriend Heidi Fleiss accused him of striking her during a domestic dispute.
Lesseos insists she had no hesitation in signing Sizemore up for his first post-jail feature and admits the actor is a joy to work with.
She says, "His agent approached us and said if he played another bad-ass character people just wouldn’t give him a second chance. He wanted something soft and light-hearted.
"People will love watching him as this lovely, good-looking, clean-smelling guy with clean fingernails. His character, Craig, really takes good care of himself. He’s almost too clean-cut, which adds to the comedy." In the movie, which also stars Karen Black and Morgan Freeman’s son Alphonso Freeman, Sizemore plays the love interest of a hardcore Marine who becomes the ultimate female after she’s accidentally hypnotised.
Lesseos, who was Hilary Swank’s boxing body double in Million Dollar Baby, stars as the object of Sizemore’s affection.
The former wrestling and full-contact fighting champion, a.k.a. Magnificent Mimi, also wrote the screenplay and produces the film.

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Veteran actor MAX BAER JR. has spoken for the first time about the moment he discovered his 30-year-old girlfriend had shot herself in the chest in January (08).
The Beverly Hillbilles star, 70, called emergency services after he found Chere Rhodes unconscious from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his Lake Tahoe home on the California/Nevada border on 27 January (08).
According to police, who found a handwritten note at the scene, Rhodes regained consciousness and told cops she had tried to take her own life. She died in hospital three days later.
And Baer Jr. has spoken of his horror at discovering Rhodes.
He tells newspaper USA Today, "There was blood everywhere." Baer Jr. also reveals that police performed a parafin test on him "to make sure I didn’t shoot her".

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DENNIS QUAID quit smoking when his twin babies were born last year (07) - and he’s determined this time will be for good.
The movie star admits he’s tried to quit many times, without success, but so far his babies have kept his nicotine urges at bay.
He tells Outside magazine, "I quit smoking when the kids were born. I’ve gone over two months, and this is the one.
"I’ve quit a hundred times, but I’ve really quit this time because I want to be around for them."

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U.S. TV chat show king JAY LENO has come under fire for asking actor RYAN PHILLIPPE to give him his "gayest look".
Phillippe recently revealed his first paid acting role was as a gay teen on U.S. soap One Life To Live and comic Leno decided to poke fun at his admission when he was a guest on his late night show recently.
He asked an embarrassed Phillippe, "Can you give me your gayest look? Say that camera is Billy Bob… Billy Bob has just ridden in shirtless from Wyoming." But the joke has backfired on him - Tony-winning Avenue Q star Jeff Whitty is one homosexual who took offence.
In a post on his popular blog, the theatre star blasts, "Would you ask a guest to make their ‘blackest face?’ Their ‘Jewiest face’?" Elsewhere, a site has been set up for gay rights activists and those shocked by Leno’s joke to respond to the chat show host.
The My Gayest Look site features people giving Leno visual pointers of how his comment made them feel.
The role Phillippe played in One Life To Live made TV history it was the first time a U.S. soap had featured an openly gay character.

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Rapper LUDACRIS and MOTLEY CRUE rocker TOMMY LEE have teamed up to star in an environmentally-friendly reality TV show.
The odd couple are joining forces for upcoming U.S. programme Battleground Earth, which will see the pair travelling across America fighting against the various pollutants that are destroying the environment.
The 10-episode Discovery Network show, which premieres in August (08), will climax with a climate change awareness concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.

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British rockers MILBURN have announced they are to split following a farewell gig in May (08).
The four-piece, who formed in 2001 and released two studio albums, insist there’s been "no falling out" and that the band members remains friends.
Milburn will perform a final concert in their hometown of Sheffield, England on 24 May (08).
A statement on the band’s website reads: "Not everyone in the music media understood us but you the fans did, and over the last two to three years we’ve shared some amazing experiences that we’ll never forget and we feel very privileged to have done so."

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Former PIXIES star KIM DEAL blames British beer for sending her to rehab because it made her feel terrible and gave her "the shakes".
The bass player checked into rehab over Christmas in 2002 after a trip to Britain made her realise once and for all just how bad her drinking problem had become.
She says, "They have stronger beer over there, and I was still drinking the same amount, so I would wake up and actually had the shakes.
"You feel it inside, too; your organs shake. It feels very sick, sickly, like, hospital sick, not a cool junkie sick." Deal has been sober ever since, but there’s still one thing she misses about being a drunk: "I was skinnier - I think I miss that."

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Scandinavian rockers TURBONEGRO have cancelled their North American tour due to guitarist EUROBOY’s ongoing health problems.
Euroboy’s undisclosed condition also forced the Norwegian band to call off its European tour last month (Mar08).
And now Turbonegro has scrapped five April (08) gigs in Canada and the U.S., which were to include a prestigious slot at California’s Coachella Festival.
A statement from the band reads: "A huge apology to the U.S. fans and to the promoters. I’m sure that all will understand that this decision wasn’t taken lightly, but it is the right decision for Euroboy.
"He is in good shape, all considered, but his treatment makes it impossible for him to be away for long periods of time and certainly not to be taking long haul flights." Turbonegro hopes to be back on the road for a homeland performance at the WCH Festival in Drammen, Norway on 2 May (08).

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Enterprising rapper KANYE WEST has launched a new online travel company to aid fans trying to get to concerts.
West’s Kanye Travel Ventures is a venture that marries some of the best business travel minds and leisure bosses to give music fans quality packages to concerts and events.
Now, fans of the rapper will be able to customise their trips on the KTV site, KanyeTravel.com, including purchasing concert tickets and other performance-related merchandise and events, at the same time as they are booking their travel reservations.

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JODIE FOSTER is hooked on video game GUITAR HERO, after challenging her kids to be the best virtual rocker.
The actress admits she is a terrible musician, but is proud she can still outplay nine year old Charles and Kit, six.
She says, "Guitar Hero is big… We fight each other over it. I’m bad at it, but I’m still better than them.
"I have no musical ability. I tried in my life. I tried to learn the trumpet, that wasn’t so good. The good thing about Guitar Hero is you can just (press the buttons and) go ‘blue, green, green, green, blue, green, green…’"

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BON JOVI rocker RICHIE SAMBORA used the band’s gig in Colorado on Monday night (31Mar08) to thank his fans for their continued support throughout his personal troubles.
The Living On A Prayer hitmaker’s appearance at the Denver gig was his first public outing since he was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in California last Tuesday (25Mar08).
As the concert neared its end, frontman Jon Bon Jovi introduced Sambora to the crowd before letting him take the limelight as he left the stage.
And the guitarist - who was admitted to rehab last year (07) following a battle with alcoholism - used the time to express his gratitude for his fans’ devotion.
He told the audience: "Hello Denver. I just want to thank everyone for their support. Sometimes friends need the help of their friends to get by." Sambora is due in court for arraignment on 7 May (08).

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Actress JODIE FOSTER confronted her lifelong fear of snakes on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO on Monday (31Mar08).
Foster was promoting her new adventure movie Nim’s Island on the show, in which she plays a woman suffering from various phobias.
After discovering Foster’s real fear, presenter Leno gave her the opportunity to confront it in front of an audience of millions - by producing a corn snake for her to stroke.
She explained, "I am afraid of snakes. When I was a kid, my brothers and sisters would hold me down by my arms and tell me, ‘There are snakes in your bed’." After petting the non-venomous snake for a few seconds, the uncomfortable star handed it back to Leno, explaining her fear: "It’s a nice colour. But it’s the tongue thing, and the clamminess."

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