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Tony Award winner KRISTIN CHENOWETH is returning to the New York stage - two months after producers announced her U.S. TV show was facing cancellation.
Pushing Daisies executive producer Bryan Fuller declared in November (08) the series had been cancelled by ABC network bosses due to poor ratings.
But Chenoweth is already making her next move - she’s joined the cast of City Center Encores! production Music in the Air - filling in for Marin Mazzie, who is leaving the show after the death of her father.
Chenoweth won the Tony for her performance as Sally Brown in the 1998-1999 Broadway production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; she was also nominated for her role as Glinda in Broadway’s Wicked.
The Rogers and Hammerstein’s show is scheduled to run from 5 to 8 February (09).

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American soap star ALISON SWEENEY has welcomed her second child with husband DAVE SANOV.
The 32-year-old gave birth to a baby girl named Megan Hope on Monday (12Jan09) night, weighing six pounds, seven ounces (three kilograms).
Sweeney, who stars on soap opera Days of Our Lives and hosts hit U.S. TV show The Biggest Loser, announced she was expecting in June (08).
Her spokesperson Carrie Simons tells People.com, "Both mommy and baby - and daddy, too - are doing well." And Simons insists the star will continue her hosting duties on the weightloss series, adding: "She’s still in hair and makeup from her day on the set! It was a very easy delivery, and everybody is great." The couple also has one son, three-year-old Ben.

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SCRUBS star ZACH BRAFF will bow out of the hit U.S. series after completing its next season to pursue a career in directing.
The 33-year-old actor has starred in the show as Dr. John ‘J.D.’ Dorian since its inception in 2001, but admits he’s anxious to trade his on-screen role to get behind the camera.
He says, "We thought the show was over after seven years and we all got this bonus year so we’re all very excited about that. We don’t know if ABC is going to continue airing the show or not - it will all depend on this season.
"I think eight years is a great run. I’m very thankful for it but there are so many other things I’d like to do in my career and I think it’s time to move on.
"I directed (2004 film) Garden State. I’d like to direct more films and you can’t to both. It’s hard to be the lead in a TV show and also try to direct movies."

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Actor DAVID DUCHOVNY has finally made peace with a movie critic who slated his directorial debut five years ago.
The actor has held a grudge against TV personality and film critic Richard Roeper ever since he gave 2004 film House of D - which Duchovny wrote, directed and starred in - a thumbs down.
So when the actor heard his appearance on Monday’s (12Jan09) The Tonight Show with Jay Leno would be followed by the critic, he took the opportunity to settle their score.
Before Roeper took his seat, Duchovny pulled a note out of his pocket, and read the write-up: "Duchovny has a masters of literature from Yale, but House of D feels like a freshman writing exercise," telling Leno, "If you don’t mind I’ll stay for this interview… I’ve been holding onto that for five years." But when Roeper came out and praised the star’s hit TV show Californication, Duchovny agreed to end the feud, telling the critic, "Richard, all is forgiven."

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LOST actor JOSH HOLLOWAY still has nightmares about the armed robbery that took place at his Hawaiian home more than three years ago (05).
The TV star, his wife and their neighbours were subjected to a string of home invasions during the autumn of 2005.
Ruben Royce, 23, was sentenced to 13 to 30 years in prison in June (08) after entering a guilty plea to 34 offences including kidnapping, first-degree robbery, burglary and auto theft as part of a plea deal reached last February (08).
But Holloway’s nerves haven’t been calmed by the perpetrator’s sentence, and he’s vowed never to be caught off guard again.
He tells Playboy magazine, "Having a gun held to our heads when we’re naked in our bedroom at four in the morning is never going to happen to my wife and me again. I took the FBI training course. I have home protection.
"It still gets me. The guy was a crackhead who had hit (robbed) 22 people in two-and-a-half weeks. I had a nightmare about it last night."

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Singer CARNIE WILSON has cut out red meat from her diet in a bid to eat more healthily.
The former Wilson Phillips star has battled with weight issues for years, and underwent gastric bypass surgery in 1999 to help her slim down.
But Wilson, who is expecting her second child with husband Rob Bonfiglio, is taking new measures to ensure her weight doesn’t shoot up too much during her pregnancy.
She says, "It’s my life struggle. I feel like the word ‘diet’ is not a great word because we know that diets don’t work.
"I say (to three-year-old daughter Lola), ‘Let’s just eat healthy. This is good for you. Let’s just eat more of the healthy stuff.’" But she confesses she’s had a weakness for cheese - her biggest pregnancy craving.
She adds, "I don’t eat red meat anymore. Now, I am just a cheese freak because of the pregnancy. I can’t stop with the cheese. And bagels." (MT/WNWCPL/ZN) WENN - FIFTH - HOLLYWOOD, SHOWBIZ & PEOPLE NEWS - 13 JANUARY 2009

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LIL’ KIM is writing her life story, so she can tell the "naked truth" about her relationship with slain rapper NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
The female MC - real name Kimberly Jones - is furious about the way she has been portrayed in the hip-hop star’s new biopic Notorious, and she wants to set the record straight.
Kim tells Hip Hop Weekly, "I’m currently working on my life story where people will get the ‘Naked Truth’ about Kimberly Denise Jones aka Lil Kim." The star admits she’ll still watch Notorious to make sure she isn’t defamed although she refuses to pay to see it at the theatre.
Kim adds, "I might watch it on bootleg, for legal reasons. I just want people to know, I have nothing to do with the film and I’m not supporting it."

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Lebanese composer MANSOUR RAHBANI has lost his battle with pneumonia, aged 83.
Rahbani died on Tuesday (13Jan09), and was well-known among Arab audiences for songs he composed with his late brother, Assi Rahbani - many written for Assi’s wife, Lebanese singer Fairuz.
Their most popular songs include Habaytak bil sayf (I loved you in summer) and Behibbak ya lubnan (I love you oh Lebanon) and Saalouni el nass (People asked me).
The Rahbani Brothers also wrote several acclaimed musicals including 1960’s Season of Glory, 1973’s A Love Poem, 1977’s Petra, and Biyaa el Khawatem (The Ring Seller) in 1964 - later adapted on screen by Egyptian film director Youssef Chahine.
Rahbani’s success crossed borders when the pair performed at a sell-out concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1971.
His latest play, The Return of the Phoenix, opened in Lebanon last summer (08).
Lebanon’s Culture Minister Tammam Slam paid tribute to the star, telling the Associated Foreign Press: "(Mansour Rahbani) left behind a huge artistic and cultural legacy in addition to what he achieved with his older late brother Assi. Together they became legendary for their artistic, musical and theatrical innovation." Rahbani’s younger brother, Elias added, "We just learned that (Mansour) had willed that he be buried in a wooden casket made from the stages used in his musical plays." His funeral is planned for Friday (16Jan09).

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U.S. rockers PAVEMENT are eyeing a 2009 comeback - the band is in talks to reunite for this year’s (09) Coachella music festival in California.
The cult group split in 1999 following a 20-year career, amid rumours of infighting and a rift between singer Stephen Malkmus and the rest of the band.
But guitarist Scott Kannberg reveals they were recently approached by the organisers of the Californian music event, who are keen to tempt the rockers back onto the stage.
And Kannberg admits a reunion is definitely looking likely.
He tells Loudandquiet.com, "I don’t see why not, you know, it could be a fun thing to do, go and play your favourite songs every night. "Everything’s fine now (between the band members). 2009 would be our 20-year anniversary too, so that’d be a good time to do it, but I think that’s too soon, it might have to be pushed back later.
"Coachella keep asking our booking agent but our booking agent’s pretty strong. He’s waiting for the right number, I think."

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Dance star MOBY is celebrating after coming down with a bout of flu - because it means he can take a rare break from touring.
The busy DJ works 12 months of the year, and regularly jets around the world for gigs.
So he wasn’t sorry to succumb to a bout of illness, brought on by the cold weather in New York, where he lives.
Moby writes online, "With the flu I get to cancel everything on my schedule and lie in bed. It’s sort of like a mini-vacation, albeit one attended by fever and aches and general disgustingness." But he plans to be back on his feet next week to travel to Washington D.C. to watch Barack Obama inaugurated as U.S. president, adding, "I’m headed to D.C.
in a few days for the inauguration, and hopefully Mr. Flu will have abated by then."

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Singer JOEY FATONE is refusing to rule out reuniting with his former pop group ‘N SYNC - insisting a comeback is still "possible".
The Bye Bye Bye hitmakers went on hiatus in 2002 to allow Justin Timberlake to launch a solo career, and he soon became a pop superstar.
But Fatone is confident the quintet will get back together one day - if they can find the time to meet up.
He tells Hollyscoop.com, "It’s possible. You never know, that’s the hardest part. With ‘N Sync you have five guys with five individual likes and what they wanna do in the direction of their careers.
"For me, personally I’m the only one that’s married and has a child and has that career. Family is some sort of lifestyle and career.
"For the other guys, you’ve got Justin Timberlake, who is doing really well, JC Chasez who is writing, Lance (Bass) who just did Dancing with the Stars’ and who is hosting. You’ve got Chris (Kirkpatrick) who is writing and singing.
"It’s all a matter of time and communication. To get five guys that are in different states, together at one point in time is gonna be very difficult. We wanna do it at the right time, when it’s right. Getting all five guys to really talk on the same page. The hardest thing is to get together, same with New Kids (On The Block)… It took them 20 years."

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Producer JERMAINE DUPRI has broken his silence over his shock departure from Island Records Urban Music, insisting he was fired from his role as president because others were envious of his success.
Dupri was appointed to the post in 2007, overseeing the entire urban music operation at the Island Def Jam Music Group division. He also produced tracks for several of its artists, including Mariah Carey and girlfriend Janet Jackson.
But he was ousted from the label last week (ends09Jan09), with Dupri’s contract reportedly "terminated effective immediately".
A formal announcement has still yet to be made, but Dupri has aired his grievances with Essence magazine, claiming he felt creatively stifled because the label heads were not keen on putting out too many new projects.
He tells the publication, "It was a situation where it felt very stagnant to me. As a person who is used to putting out new records and continuing to do that, it just wasn’t turning over as being that place to me where I should stick to it and see if it was going to turn around." However, he alleges age was also a factor - at 36, he is years younger than the average label president - and he is adamant sales figures were not a factor in his dismissal.
He adds, "I’m dealing with a lot of jealousy and have been since I first came in the business. When you’re younger, they (label bigwigs) don’t want to listen to you because they know you are keener and people listen to the younger person in the office. In corporate America, this is something that I started feeling a lot. I’m keener as to what is going on in the streets, the Internet and all over the place…
"Mariah Carey sold more records in that entire Def Jam building and all of that was through my singles; so I’m looking like the golden boy. I only started thinking about it after I left." And Dupri admits he is a little disgruntled at the way his exit has been handled.
He continues, "I haven’t spoken to L.A. (Reid, Def Jam chairman) in three months. I don’t know if it (the split)’s amicable (considering) that they claim they put me out. I feel like it’s not amicable. Don’t lie, be real about the situation."

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Rapper KANYE WEST has been given the honour of leaking a brand new track by Swedish group PETER, BJORN and JOHN on his online blog.
The Stronger hitmaker introduced the song on kanyeuniversity.com as a "world exclusive" - although he confessed he didn’t even know the tune’s official name.
He wrote, "I’m gonna assume it’s called, ‘Nothing To Worry About’. S**t is dope! Drums are crazy and I like the kids on the hook." The two artists have collaborated together before, when West joined the band onstage at the Way Out West Festival in Sweden in 2007. West has also sampled their songs for his own productions.
The new Peter, Bjorn and John album, Living Thing, is released in March (09).

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Hollywood couple BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE had to push their way through hedges to get to the VIP section at a pre-Golden Globes party on Saturday (10Jan09) night - after they were invited to join Paramount party host BRAD GREY in the exclusive enclosure.
The superstars joined celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Downey, Jr. at the glitzy bash, held at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont, but found themselves clambering over bushes as they followed Grey to take a shortcut to the closed off section.
And a source claims Jolie was a little apprehensive about breaching the event’s code of conduct.
The source tells OK! magazine, "Brad Grey motioned for Brad and Angelina to cut through some hedges to get to the VIP.
"Brad was game but Angelina looked a little tentative - she was, after all, wearing heels and a nice dress! "Brad had his Heineken (beer) in one hand, and Angelina’s hand in his other and said, ‘C’mon babe - you can do this!’ And he led her through the hedges to the VIP. It wasn’t like Angelina was worried about ruining her dress, she just had a look on her face like, ‘Are we supposed to be doing this?’" The couple both received nominations at the Golden Globes on Sunday (11Jan09) - Jolie for Best Actress - Drama for Changeling, and Pitt for Best Actor Drama for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - but they walked away from the ceremony empty handed.

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Actor ALEC BALDWIN has taken on a new role - as host of the New York Philharmonic’s national radio broadcasts.
Baldwin - who called the gig his "dream job" - was named the voice of the orchestra’s programme on Monday (12Jan09) by music director Alan Gilbert.
An admitted "audiophile", the actor vowed to "go into the forest before each performance and think great thoughts before I perform my duties" as he accepted the position, reports the New York Post.
Baldwin made his New York Philharmonic debut narrating the Inside the Music programme on 10 October 2008.

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Hollywood actress KATE HUDSON is fending off a new romance rumour - after she was photographed frolicking on a beach in Hawaii with Australian golfer ADAM SCOTT.
The Almost Famous star sparked rumours of a new beau after she was snapped last week (beg05Jan09) enjoying the surf and sunbathing with Scott at the Kapalua Resort.
But a representative for Hudson has dismissed reports the pair is dating.
And Scott is also busy playing down the rumours, telling reporters, "I’m not here with her but I know Kate. We met here (for the first time). We have a mutual friend so we met through him." The denial comes just one day after Hudson’s spokesperson brushed off reports she was dating Madonna’s alleged former lover, baseball star Alex Rodriguez.
Hudson has been romantically linked to stars including cycling champion Lance Armstrong and actor Owen Wilson since her divorce from rocker Chris Robinson in 2007. The former couple has a five-year-old son together, named Ryder.

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Hollywood actress NICOLE KIDMAN has hit back at reports she is unhappy with her performance in new movie AUSTRALIA - insisting her comments have been misinterpreted by the media.
The star appears opposite Hugh Jackman in the Baz Luhrmann epic, which opened last month (Dec08) to mixed reviews.
Kidman was recently quoted as saying that she "can’t look at this movie and be proud of what I’ve done", adding that she couldn’t "connect to it emotionally".
But the actress is adamant her comments, in an interview with Sydney radio station 2day FM, were taken out of context - because she was actually referring to her whole body of work, claiming she can never bear to watch herself onscreen.
A representative for Kidman tells Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald, "It is quite ridiculous for anyone to believe the reports if they listened to the actual interview. It’s hard to believe some of the world’s media have fallen for it."

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Boyband NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK are to hit the high seas for a concert cruise.
The former teen heart-throbs have signed up for a special New Kids-themed three-day boat trip around the Caribbean, which will see performances from the group and special ‘meet and greet’ sessions for the fans.
But the bandmembers, who reunited in 2008 following a 14-year hiatus, insist playing on a cruise ship does not mean their comeback has been a failure.
Singer Joey McIntyre tells People.com, "We’re gonna perform on a ship, on a cruise. John Mayer has done these things before, our manager tells us this is not a cheesy thing. It’s not a step back." The cruise is planned for 15-18 May (09) and will set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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