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Actor JOSH HARTNETT has been suffering from a bout of food poisoning, forcing him to miss a handful of shows in the West End production of RAIN MAN.
The Pearl Harbor star began his stage stint at the Apollo Theatre in London in September (08), but has had to bow out of four shows this week (begs17Nov08) after falling ill.
He was taken to the city’s University Hospital on Tuesday (18Nov08), where a doctor diagnosed him with the sickness, according to a production spokesperson.
As a result, he had to pull out of that evening’s performance and skipped a further three on Wednesday (19Nov08) and Thursday (20Nov08). He was replaced, as Charlie Babbitt, by understudy Richard Lynson.
Hartnett has made a recovery and is expected to return to the stage on Friday (21Nov08) night, reports Playbill.com.

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BRITNEY SPEARS is more than ready to make her pop comeback, because she’s getting "stronger" every day, according to her manager LARRY RUDOLPH.
The Toxic hitmaker is bouncing back following a tumultuous last 12 months which has seen her lose custody of her kids to ex-husband Kevin Federline, shave off all her hair, and end up in hospital twice.
But Rudolph is confident his young charge - who took home three gongs at the MTV Video Music Awards in September (08) - is back on top form as she prepares for the release of her new album Circus in December (08).
He says, "She’s definitely ready. She loves to work. She’s a very strong person. Everybody goes through setbacks in their lives. (But) every day, I see her getting happier and stronger." And Rudolph insists Spears is handling the pressures of being a working mum well - because she plans her career around sons Sean Preston, three, and Jayden James, one.
He adds, "Her kids and balancing her life with her kids is an incredible priority - the number one priority in terms of how I operate with her."

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PARIS HILTON has confirmed she and boyfriend BENJI MADDEN have split.
The socialite appeared on pal Ryan Seacrest’s radio show in Los Angeles on Friday morning (21Nov08) and revealed she and the rocker were "taking a break" after nine months.
Hilton said, "We’re really good friends
. We’re very close..
. I love him, he’s such an amazing man
. He’s my best friend, he’s been so great to me, so loyal.
He’s an incredible person.
"I think right now we’re both better off as friends
. We’re both working so much; I’ve been travelling, he’s been working non-stop in the studio." And Hilton was keen to clear up reports she ended the romance: "There’s all these reports that I dumped Benji; that’s not true
. This was a decision we made together." Reports about the split started last weekend (15-16Nov08) when Hilton was photographed partying with ex-boyfriend Stavros Niarchos in Miami, Florida but she insists the late-night meeting had nothing to do with the break-up.
She added, "That’s ridiculous
. Really, I was on a girls’ weekend..
. just sitting there (and) Stavros came up and said hello..
. (It was) a very quick conversation.
"Someone must have got a quick camera phone picture of me just smiling and saying hello to someone I haven’t seen in a year.
"He’s (Madden) not a jealous person and he knows I have no interest in him (Niarchos) whatsoever." And Hilton also dismissed reports Madden was too controlling: "He’s just very protective..
. He just wants the best for me, he just wants me to make the right choices." The socialite also admits she’s leaving the door open for a reconciliation: "We’ll see what happens in the future; I’m still in love with him
. He’s a very special person; there’s no one like him..
. I still have feelings for Benji." And she won’t be looking for a new man over the holidays either, adding: "I don’t wanna date anyone; the thought of that just grosses me out."

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BRAD PITT will draw inspiration from his childhood when he takes on a new movie project about a Missouri journalist.
The Ocean Eleven actor’s production company, Plan B, has bought the rights to the story of Missouri journalist Linda Trest, who helped break the cover of a drug-busting conman.
And Pitt will certainly be able to relate to Trest’s character - he studied journalism at the University of Missouri as a young man.
Pitt will develop the project with writers David Benioff, Anthony Walton and Andrew Dresher, according to Hollywood Reporter.

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Actor KIEFER SUTHERLAND has denied his hit show 24 helped Democrat BARACK OBAMA to his landslide victory at the recent U.S. election.
The Illinois senator will become the first black president of the U.S. when he takes office in January (08) after triumphing in the 4 November (08) vote.
Dennis Haysbert, who played President David Palmer in five seasons of 24, had previously claimed that his character contributed to Obama’s success, by "opening the public’s minds" to a black president.
But Sutherland doesn’t agree. He says, "You don’t honestly believe that our show helped get the first African-American into the White House do you? All we simply did is look to the future.
"You have a huge African-American population and it was just a matter of time before they were represented politically by a president.
"We have a female president in season seven. You have a 52 per cent population of women and we can clearly see it is just a matter of time before we have a female president."

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MICHAEL JACKSON’s former personal assistant has testified that the Arab sheikh suing the star for $7 million (£4.7 million) was eager to give the THRILLER hitmaker cash as gifts.
Grace Rwaramba, who was also nanny to Jackson’s children, told the High Court in London on Friday (21Nov08) that Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the second son of the king of Bahrain, frequently offered the singer gifts and money.
Jackson is being sued for allegedly reneging on a deal to record a new album and write an autobiography.
Jackson claims the money he received was a gift, and Rwaramba backed up her ex-boss when she took the witness stand.
Speaking of the sheikh, Rwaramba told the court: "He would say, ‘What can I do for my brother? What can I give the children?’… Mr. Jackson had a back pain and he told me to get Tiger Balm for him." Jackson is due to take the witness stand at the High Court on Monday (24Nov08) after being cleared by doctors to travel to the U.K following a mystery illness.

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Actress LINDSAY LOHAN has refused to quit her online blog - because it proves to the public she’s not "empty".
The Mean Girls star has used her MySpace.com blog as a political and personal platform, alluding to her relationship with girlfriend Samantha Ronson and slamming U.S. politics in recent months.
But Lohan insists she won’t be putting down her virtual pen, despite the onslaught of press attention she’s received for her controversial remarks.
She says, "There’s a person in here. And I have feelings too, whether it’s about politics, the person I’m seeing, the person I’m not seeing. That’s my way of connecting. I don’t want people to think that I’m just an empty f**king whatever."

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Actress LINDSAY LOHAN is convinced she’ll return to the big screen in a breakthrough performance - insisting she’s "up for the challenge" posed by critics brushing her off as a party girl.
The Mean Girls actress has had a series of box office flops since the 2004 film.
She became infamous on the Los Angeles party scene and entered a rehabilitation facility three times last year (07), but now insists one year later that she’s ready to refocus on her movie career.
She says, "I have goals and I’m working to achieve them. I’m not hanging out with people who are out every night getting f**ked up… I think at this point (the media) is like, ‘Let her do what she’s going to do. We’ve seen her do enough.’" And Lohan hopes loyal moviegoers will return to see her on the big screen.
She adds, "I know people wouldn’t have gone to see my movies if I didn’t make them laugh or make them cry. I think it’s a matter of finding the right thing.
I’m sure my first thing back might not be that, but eventually it will come.
"That’s what this business is like. It builds you up to take you down and then sees how far you can come back. I don’t really worry though. I’m a fighter. I’m up for a challenge and I wont settle."

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Mexican actors MAYRIN VILLANUEVA and JORGE POZA have finalised their divorce just three months after they announced the split.
The pair confirmed plans to end their 11-year marriage earlier this year (08) and the break-up was made official on Friday (21Nov08) when they signed their divorce papers in front of a judge in Mexico City.
The former couple has two children, daughter Romina and son Sebastian.

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DONALD TRUMP’s daughter IVANKA is on the fast-track to building her own business empire - after signing a deal to publish a new book.
The 26-year-old former model - who holds an executive office at the Trump Organization - has signed on with publishers at Simon & Schuster to write a motivational book, reports the New York Post.
She says, "My father always impressed upon me the idea that America is a meritocracy and that you must work for everything you get," adding that she hopes to share a "positive perspective with the women of my generation".
A Simon & Schuster spokesperson adds, "(Ivanka is) a very high-profile figure who has made smart and impressive moves in the business and social worlds. As young as she is, we see her playing an important role for years to come."

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Former U.S. senator FRED THOMPSON is planning to make a return to acting.
Thompson starred in movies such as Marie, Days of Thunder and the 1991 remake of Cape Fear before pursuing a career in politics, where he represented Tennessee as a Republican in the U.S. Senate from 1994 through to 2002.
He made a brief return to acting in 2002, landing a role in hit U.S. TV series Law and Order before again reigniting his political career five years later as a candidate for the 2008 Republican nomination for President of the United States.
After that failed attempt, Thompson tried to gain support to be in charge of the Republican National Committee but has now decided to return once again to acting after receiving some lucrative offers.
Thompson’s former finance chairman, B.C. "Scooter" Clippard, says, "He has some wonderful opportunities back in the television market that probably financially far outweigh being chair of the RNC."

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Rapper/actor COMMON is so weary of new technology, he’s only now learning how to make full use of the internet.
The Go star, real name Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., has made millions from his music and acting careers, but admits he is so out of touch with hi-tech gadgets, he still owns an old Motorola cell phone.
But he’s finally decided to get involved in the online community and has launched a new blog website to better interact with fans.
And one of the first postings on the site reads: "After years of not giving in to the Internet world, I finally got sucked in." He explains to MTV.com, "I’ve definitely been avoiding technology. It was due to me wanting to focus on other things, and I didn’t get drawn into it until now.
"I’ve still got the Motorola phone, one of the earlier ones - I’ve got the RAZR phone. But I do appreciate those that communicate on the Internet, and I respect that community, so that’s why I felt like I wanted to be a part of that and be able to dialogue with people that enjoy music, art and communicating on positive things…
"I’m going to do my best to do it (blog) daily. I have a team of bloggers that will work with me and bring information, and I want to make clear now that this is straight from me. I’ll be typing it - or, if I’m not typing it because my typing is slow, I may have my assistant Val typing, but the words are coming from me."

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Former NIRVANA bass player KRIST NOVOSELIC has spoken out for the first time about the infamous 1992 MTV Video Music Awards - admitting he faked unconsciousness when a guitar smashed into his head.
The rocker was apparently knocked out in front of millions of viewers when he threw his bass into the air during a performance of the song Lithium and it came crashing down on his skull.
But he has now confessed he was not as badly injured as it appeared - even though frontman Kurt Cobain looked concerned for his wellbeing.
Novoselic tells NME.com, "I always try to get good air - I bet I hit over 25 feet, easy! But no matter how high it went, I was not on my game. The only time I’ve ever dropped it was then, in front of 300 million people. Ouch! I was fine, but I faked like I was knocked out."

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British rockers GLASVEGAS found themselves at the centre of a German police drama on Friday (21Nov08) when armed officers charged onto their tourbus in a security false alarm.
The four-piece, currently on tour in Europe, were travelling through Munich on Friday afternoon ahead of their show at the Atomic Cafe when their vehicle was halted and armed forces stormed on board, reports NME.com.
The bandmembers were each searched - until it emerged the incident had been a mistake after strict security measures were put in place following the visit of German president Horst Kohler and Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili that day.
A Glasvegas spokesperson tells the website the group was forced to remain on the bus until the leaders had left the area.

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Rocker PETE WENTZ and wife ASHLEE SIMPSON-WENTZ are already showing signs of great parenting - less than 24 hours after welcoming baby BRONX MOWGLI into their family.
Singer/actress Simpson-Wentz gave birth to their first son on Thursday (20Nov08) night - and the tot’s grandparents are delighted with the new addition.
Joe and Tina Simpson say in a statement, "We are happy beyond words and incredibly proud of Ashlee and Pete.
"They are unbelievable parents already, and we can’t wait to spend Bronx’s first holidays together with the whole family. We are truly blessed." And the Fall Out Boy bassist’s parents are equally excited - revealing the newborn is quickly showing similarities to his mum and dad.
Pete Sr. and Dale Wentz add, "We’re thrilled. (Bronx) stayed up late the first night, smiling at everyone who came into the room. He already seems to have the independence and charm of both of his parents."

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GUNS N’ ROSES’ highly anticipated new album CHINESE DEMOCRACY has smashed MySpace.com records after it was streamed on the social networking website on Thursday (20Nov08).
Fans rushed to check out the LP, the band’s first in 15 years, and the release had received around 25 listens a second in its first 24 hours online (20-21Nov08).
The title track had been played more than 826,000 times by 4pm GMT on Friday - while the album had been played in its entirety on more than 3 million occasions.
The listening party figures are the largest amount of listeners for an artist album stream launch on MySpace to date.

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New mum NICOLE KIDMAN has dismissed rumours she is expecting her second child with husband KEITH URBAN - less than five months after giving birth to daughter SUNDAY ROSE.
The Oscar winning actress, who welcomed little Sunday on 7 July (08), recently revealed she was considering turning her back on Hollywood to expand her family.
And Kidman sparked rumours she was already pregnant with the couple’s second baby after showing off a more rounded stomach when she wore a tight fitting dress to the recent Sydney premiere of her new film Australia.
But the star laughed off the reports during an interview on a radio show in Sydney, saying, "No, I just have a little tummy… My god, I just had a baby four months ago - give me a break! "I think I’ve always had a little tummy, though, it runs in the family. My sister does, my mum does, my grandmother did…. We affectionately refer to it as the ‘little tummy’."

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British model KATIE PRICE is to stand trial on a charge of speeding.
The 30-year-old, previously known as Jordan, is accused of breaking a 30 mile-per-hour (48 kilometres-per-hour) speed limit in Brighton, south east England, on 5 March (08).
A spokesperson for the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service says Price is also charged with failing to supply information about the identity of the driver.
Price, who is married to Australian pop star Peter Andre, has yet to enter a plea to the charges, but the case is due to be heard at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 7 January (09).

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