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Talk show queen OPRAH WINFREY has received an early Christmas present - she is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ Person of the Year.
The TV star was given the honour after using her TV show to highlight cases of animal cruelty and promote vegan diets.
PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk insists Winfrey has utilised her "powerful voice to defend those without one." Officials at the animal rights group will present Winfrey with a plaque and a letter of appreciation in recognition of her support.
Previous recipients of the PETA honour include U.S. Senator Robert Byrd and the founders of cleaning product company Method.

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SHARON STONE, HALLE BERRY and JAMIE FOXX are among a list of politically-minded stars who’ve donated thousands of dollars to fund U.S. President-elect BARACK OBAMA’s upcoming inauguration into the White House.
Obama secured a long line of A-list supporters during his run for office, and is set to be sworn in during a history-making ceremony in Washington, D.C. on 20 January (08).
But the event, which will feature several black-tie balls and could draw up to five million people, will require a hefty bankroll - and the star supporters have already coughed up mounds of cash.
Stone, Berry and Foxx have donated $50,000 (£33,330) each to the celebration, reports the New York Post.
The donation has secured the trio four tickets to the event.
The parade and swearing-in ceremonies are paid for by the government; incoming presidents traditionally rely on private funds to supplement the budget and host parties.

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MADONNA is reportedly preparing to fly to Malawi with baseball star ALEX RODRIGUEZ to bring home another adopted child - just months after officially announcing her separation from GUY RITCHIE.
The pop superstar is said to have signed paperwork to adopt Mercy James from Malawi - the same African country where she adopted her son David Banda in 2006.
And now the four-year-old girl’s grandfather has allegedly confirmed the exchange will occur early next year (09).
The family patriarch tells U.S. tabloid Star Magazine, "It breaks our hearts to know she will leave us, but adoption is best for her." James’ mother Mwandida died aged 18 just days after giving birth to her daughter.
Madonna and filmmaker Ritchie’s split was announced in October (08), ending months of speculation.
The superstar filed for divorce citing Ritchie’s "unreasonable behaviour" and was granted a preliminary split on 21 November (08). The divorce is due to be rubber-stamped in the New Year (09).

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A spokesperson for JENNIFER LOPEZ and MARC ANTHONY has put to rest rumours the star couple’s marriage is on the rocks.
The singer/actress sparked reports of a rocky patch with Anthony after she was photographed without her wedding ring at the Los Angeles premiere of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last week (begs08Dec08).
The couple, parents to ten-month-old twins Max and Emme, then stepped out with their wedding bands for a romantic date in New York on Tuesday (16Dec08) in a bid to quash doubt over their four-year marriage.
And now a representative has released a statement explaining the pair is still very much together and "doing great".
The spokesperson says, "(These) are fabricated stories. He had a boys night out. She had a girls night out. There is nothing wrong with that."

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British actress RACHEL WEISZ is preparing for a long engagement to director DARREN ARONOFSKY - because he insists they are "waiting for something special" before they tie the knot.
Weisz, 38, and Aronofsky, 39, have been engaged since 2005 and share a two-year-old son, Henry.
But The Wrestler director Aronofsky has no plans to rush down the aisle three years after he first popped the question.
Aronofsky tells U.S. magazine OK!, "We’re waiting for something special to come along. One day it will happen - hopefully."

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ADRIAN GRENIER has showed his generous side - he turned Santa Claus to hand out food to the needy in New York.
The Entourage star braved a blizzard and icy winds to give away leftover food as part of a charity drive for hunger relief.
He rode along with aide workers as they toured the Big Apple, collecting uneaten dishes from bakeries and restaurants.
They then delivered it to the Yorkville Common Pantry, which distributes the food to the homeless and others in need.

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LINDA HOGAN escaped unhurt when she was involved in a car crash in Florida on Friday (19Dec08).
The estranged wife of wrestling star Hulk Hogan was driving her white Mercedes near her home in Clearwater when it was hit from behind by a Chevrolet Camaro.
Although the Camaro received extensive damage, neither Linda Hogan nor the other driver were injured in the crash, which happened around 3pm local time.
Clearwater Police spokeswoman Joelle Castelli says, "She was rear-ended, but it was just a fender-bender and there were no injuries reported." The accident happened less than a quarter of a mile from where Hogan’s son Nick infamously crashed in August 2007.

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Teen star MILEY CYRUS is spending New Year’s Eve with unsuspecting company the singer will surprise a fan on live TV as part of an ongoing contest.
The 16-year-old singer will ring in 2009 as host of an upcoming special on 31 December (08) from the home of the lucky winner - someone who spent 2008 helping to improve the lives of others.
FNMTV Presents: A Miley-Sized Surprise will accompany a countdown live from New York’s Times Square as Cyrus shows up on the doorstep of the contest winner.
The two will spend the day together, visiting friends and participating in activities for the fan’s favourite charity before the Hannah Montana star performs from the fan’s bedroom. (JMA/WNWCUW/ZN) WENN - SECOND - HOLLYWOOD, SHOWBIZ & PEOPLE NEWS - 20 DECEMBER 2008

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The mother of cult singer JEFF BUCKLEY is convinced her son would have been amused that music mogul SIMON COWELL has given him a boost up the pop charts years after his death.
Fans of the late rocker, who died in a swimming accident in 1997, are campaigning to take his recording of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah to the top of the U.K. charts this Christmas (08) in a bid to beat another cover version of the song by singer Alexandra Burke.
Burke was awarded a $1.5 million (£1 million) record deal with Syco Records, Cowell’s division of Sony BMG, when she took home the crown on Cowell’s TV competition The X Factor last week (13Dec08).
But Buckley’s mother Mary Guibert insists the tragic star would have loved the music rivalry.
She says, "I think Jeff would have found this number one thing very amusing.
It’s ironic in so many ways. I mean, here is The X Factor, run by Simon Cowell, who is supposed to be the ultimate taste arbiter, and they’ve been run to the wire by my son.
"It’s come about so organically, with no record label pushing it, and I think Jeff would have loved that, and loved his fans for doing it."

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Rapper ROSCO P. COLDCHAIN has been arrested in connection with the murder of a man, according to reports.
The rapper - real name Amin Porter - is in police custody after allegedly gunning down an unidentified male in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania around 7.30pm on Thursday (18Dec08), reports U.S. website AllHipHop.com.
The victim, believed to be in his teens or early twenties, died shortly after arriving at Frankford Hospital in Torresdale.
Authorities apprehended two men in the vicinity after the murder, including Porter, who is noted for his affiliation with hit hip-hop producers The Neptunes.
Porter has not yet been charged with any offence.

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BRITNEY SPEARS’ publicist has hit back at reports the singer is dating rocker BENJI MADDEN.
The Toxic hitmaker was said to have grown close to the Good Charlotte rocker after they were introduced to each other by her manager Larry Rudolph, who has been helping her to find a new suitor, according to U.S. tabloid reports.
In Touch Weekly magazine reported the pair shared dinner at a Los Angeles hotel, and have seen each other several times since, with an unnamed source adding, "They’ve been on a few dates. She appears to like Benji a lot, and he seems to really like her." But Spears’ publicist Holly Shakoor has rubbished the reports.
She tells E! News: "The claims made by In Touch are completely false. There is not an ounce of truth to any of it." Madden split from socialite Paris Hilton last month (Nov08) after a nine-month relationship.

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TOM CRUISE has gotten a boost for his role as a Nazi assassin in new movie VALKYRIE - after the grandson of the soldier he is playing defended the controversial film against his family’s own criticism.
Cruise plays injured World War II Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who led a plot to assassinate Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, in the film.
The history-making Colonel’s children voiced objections to Cruise playing their father.
But Philipp von Schulthess, the soldier’s grandson who has a small role in the controversial war drama, insists the actor represented his grandfather "wonderfully".
Von Schulthess tells the New York Daily News, "Most of them (von Stauffenberg’s children) haven’t seen it. They’re crossing their fingers this turned out well. I think it did, and hope they agree."

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GEORGE CLOONEY will have a titillating surprise waiting for him when he returns to work from the holidays - CARMEN ELECTRA and ANNA FARIS staged a Playboy-inspired photoshoot at his California office.
The pair, who’ve both graced the covers of the raunchy magazine, donned bunny ears and low-slung shirts before they posed for the camera, clicked by comedienne Ellen DeGeneres for a segment on her U.S. TV show on Friday (19Dec08).
The trio came in unannounced as DeGeneres directed the shoot between busy clerks - before Electra and Faris pretended to pull down their tops and left a set of signed magazines with their photos for the actor, who was not present.
But American audiences were left in suspense, when the steamy scene was interrupted by a jingle and DeGeneres, who kicked off another segment of the show.

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BRAD PITT is plagued by the height of his celebrity - because it "gets in the way" of surprising moviegoers with the challenging film roles he takes on.
The actor faced the daunting task of playing a man ageing backwards in new film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
And although he’s thankful for the opportunities his fame provides, Pitt insists being a mega movie star can overshadow the intense preparation required for actors taking on difficult parts.
He says, "I think celebrity gets in the way. If you’re not fully valued it’s easy to surprise. It’s really nice. It sets you up to surprise people. There are pluses and minuses. It’s a card game really. Celebrity can cloud what you’re doing.
"If I know the degree of difficulty I’m taking on, or someone else is taking on in their respected role, and that’s not always seen usually, it can be avalanched by celebrity itself. But believe me man, I’m enjoying it. I feel quite fortunate."

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American fashion mogul CALVIN KLEIN will destroy his $30 million (GBP20 million) New York estate to replace it with a more modern structure less than half its size.
The fashion mogul submitted an application this week (beg15Dec08) to tear down the massive Southampton mansion known as Dragon’s Head.
The 50,000-square-foot castle-like residence was built in 1926 but Klein has been riddled with complaints about the sprawling structure since purchasing the property in 2003.
According to the New York Post, the designer will replace the building with a 17,500 square foot glass and concrete compound and has enlisted celebrity hotelier Ian Schrager to help him redesign it with a more modern flair.
In a letter to the Southampton Village Board of Historic Preservation and Architectural Review, Schrager writes: "We are delighted by the proposed demolition of our over-scaled and garish neighbour."

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Charges have been dropped against U.S. funnyman BRAD GARRETT following a police investigation of the actor who was accused of attacking a paparazzo.
The former Everybody Loves Raymond star took offence when snappers photographed him and his date alone as they left Hollywood hotspot Dan Tana’s last month (Nov08), despite his pleas for them to stop.
Local authorities looked into claims the comic chased a paparazzo before breaking another’s camera, but the Los Angeles District Attorney has decided not to pursue charges against the actor.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ.com, the photographer in question "attempted to provoke a violent reaction from (Garrett)… by using hostile and derogatory language… The interests of justice do not support the filing of criminal charges." Garrett faced a possible criminal battery charge in the case.

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Rock and roll legend ELVIS PRESLEY is singing new duets from beyond the grave with millions of fans who can log online to record a track with the late King.
New WebSite SingWithTheKing.com allows fans to re-record country singer Martina McBride’s part from the track she dubbed with Presley, Blue Christmas, from The Elvis Presley Christmas Duets album.
The site provides a phone number and access code so wannabe crooners can belt their lyrics over the phone and send the recording to a friend as a Christmas ecard.
Sony BMG spokesperson JJ Rosen says, "Someone in our digital area came up with the concept. It fits the duets concept of the album so well.
"We’re always trying to keep the Elvis brand alive." The online progam will run through January (09).

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Former GUNS N’ ROSES drummer STEVEN ADLER has been court-ordered to a drug rehabilitation program to keep him out of prison.
A Los Angeles court commissioner agreed to place the musician in a state-sanctioned program on Friday (19Dec08).
The rocker pleaded no contest to a charge of heroin possession at Los Angeles Superior Court on 14 November (08) to escape a jail term.
He was arrested in July (08) after police were called to a disturbance at a Hollywood home - where they found Adler under the influence and in possession of drugs.
Adler checked in to rehab in Pasadena, California where he is signed to star in U.S. reality TV show Sober Living. The ruling came one day after American audiences watched him graduate from the drug-treatment program on air.
Adler will remain on probation while he tries to complete the state program.

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