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BRITNEY SPEARS’ stylist has testified against the singer’s former manager, SAM LUFTI, in court, revealing he spent three weeks over Christmas (08) desperately trying to get information about the star.
Spears’ father won a restraining order against the svengali last February (08) after he took charge of his daughter’s affairs, but hairstylist Roberta Romero insists Lutfi was still trying to get information about his former charge in December (08).
In court in Los Angeles on Wednesday (25Feb09), Romero said, "Someone kept calling me from a private number… He said his name was Sam. He wanted information about Britney. He said he was on her side. I told him, ‘Leave me alone, stop calling me.’" She also alleged Lutfi sent her a series of text messages, asking her to relay messages to Spears.
The messages included one that read, "Please relay the truth to her. I did not do this to her," apparently dismissing claims he was responsible for the singer’s mental breakdown at the beginning of 2008.
Romero also told the court that Lufti texted her, "I’ve done everything I can to free her (Spears) from this. (I’m) very close to getting her free now." The stylist continually asked him to leave her alone, and informed her boss of the calls and texts when he tried to contact her on 27 December (08), while she was watching a movie with Spears.
This week’s (beg23Feb09) hearing was held to determine whether Jamie Spears’ restraining order against Lutfi and ex-boyfriend Adnan Ghalib should continue.
The orders have been extended to 18 March (09) and the case will continue on 1 April (09).
Lutfi had been subpoenaed to appear in court, according to Jamie Spears’ lawyer - but he failed to show up.
His attorney, Bryan Freedman, claimed that Lutfi wasn’t properly served. The lawyer denied his client has been harassing the singer through her stylist.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

LINDSAY LOHAN and her DJ girlfriend SAMANTHA RONSON have made good on their promise to reschedule a cancelled St. Valentine’s Day gig after illness forced them to pull out of the event at the last minute.
The couple was booked to host a party at Passions, a nightclub in Florida’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, on the most romantic night of the year - but Lohan cried off sick and Ronson was declared too ill to fly, forcing them to cancel the appearance.
Now they are back to full health, the pair has agreed to host a party at the venue next month (Mar09).
Ronson says in a statement, "I’m really looking forward to making up the Valentine’s gig on March 7 at Passion Nightclub at the Seminole Hard Rock."

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Late jazz legend DUKE ELLINGTON has made history as the first African American to have his image featured on a circulating U.S. coin.
Officials at the U.S. Mint unveiled Ellington as their star of choice to appear on the quarter-dollar on Tuesday (24Feb09).
Carla Coolman, a spokeswomen for the U.S. Mint, says, "He’s the first African American to feature solo and the second African American to feature on a circulating coin.
"The first African American on a circulating coin was York, a slave who was depicted on a Missouri quarter alongside explorers Lewis and Clark. There have been other African Americans on commemorative coins." U.S. Mint director Ed Moy adds, "Like many great Americans who succeed in what they love doing, Duke Ellington was equal parts talent, hard work, passion and perseverance.
"When Americans look at this coin, they will remember the man and his art, as well as the place where both were born and nurtured - the District of Columbia." Ellington died in 1974, aged 75.

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Singer JEWEL’s bid for dancing glory as a contestant on the upcoming season of U.S. TV show DANCING WITH THE STARS has taken a hit - she has suffered a knee injury.
The newlywed, who is scheduled to compete with husband Ty Murray on the show, has revealed she’s hobbling around the rehearsal studio in a blog to fans.
She writes, "I guess I really over did it on the rehearsal front! My knees have been hurting so badly that I finally broke down and talked to Ty’s knee doctor… He said I have tendonitis (sic) in my knees and that I have to start a course of medicine to try and bring the swelling down.
"It’s mainly my left knee, and I can’t believe I hurt it so badly… Ty warned me I was overdoing it, and now he got a big ol’ ‘I told you so’ in. The worst part is that I can’t rehearse for the next couple days." But the singer/songwriter insists she’s enjoying all the preparation work for the new show, which begins next month (Mar09).
She adds, "It was just so fun to dance eight hours a day, especially considering I only had three weeks to cram not only for my first dance - cha cha - but to learn the fundamentals of about six other dances that I will have to know.
"Now I’m just worried I won’t even be able to dance! Hopefully these steroids will really do the trick and I can keep bad flare ups at a bay in the future."

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Former SOUL FOR REAL singer BRIAN DALYRIMPLE is wanted by Georgia police over allegations of identity theft.
The Nineties R&B star is reportedly on the run with his 10-month-old son after authorities linked him to a crime ring that has scammed hundreds of people in the Duluth, Atlanta area.
One man has so far been arrested in connection to the crime, according to local news station WSBTV.

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PYLON founder RANDALL BEWLEY is in intensive care in Athens, Georgia after suffering a heart attack.
The guitarist and new wave cult figure suffered a cardiac arrest while driving near his home on Monday (23Feb09). His van drifted off the road and tipped over.
Bewley formed Pylon in 1979 with University of Georgia art students Michael Lachowski, Curtis Crowe and Vanessa Briscoe, and the group became part of the Athens music scene, which also included the B-52’s and REM.

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Rapper DMX is causing trouble behind bars after allegedly attacking a prison officer.
The rap star, real name Earl Simmons, is serving time for drug possession, animal cruelty and theft in an Arizona prison, and he may have just extended his stay.
Rolling Stone magazine reports he assaulted an officer while in lockdown.
The rapper was only expected to serve 90 days in jail, plus an additional 18 months of supervised probation.
DMX may be charged with felony aggravated assault, which carries a possible eight-year sentence.

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MGMT, MUSE, KINGS OF LEON and OASIS were among the winners at the Shockwaves NME Awards in London on Wednesday night (25Feb09).
Brooklyn, New York duo MGMT grabbed two prizes - they were named Best New Band before receiving the Best Track award for Time To Pretend.
Oasis were crowned Best British Band for the fourth time in the band’s career
. The British rockers missed the event at the O2 Brixton Academy but sent an acceptance video featuring themselves and comedian pal Russell Brand.
Frontman Noel Gallagher was also recognised for Best Band Blog, but the group missed out on five other categories.
Muse claimed the Best Live Band prize and the Best Album Artwork award for HAARP; Kings of Leon won Best Album for Only by the Night, and The Killers were crowned Best International Band for a third consecutive year.
Other victors included Pete Doherty, who received his Best Solo Artist award from a reformed Blur, Arctic Monkeys (Best DVD for At The Apollo) and Elbow, who took home an Outstanding Contribution to Music honour.
The Cure were handed the 2009 Godlike Genius Award by Hollywood director Tim Burton, while Dizzee Rascal claimed the Best Dancefloor Filler prize and The Big Pink took home the Philip Hall Radar Award.
Meanwhile, new U.S
. President Barack Obama beat Noel Gallagher to the Hero Of The Year prize, and former President George W
. Bush was crowned Villain Of The Year for the sixth year running.
Not everybody was celebrating though - the Jonas Brothers picked up the unwanted Worst Album and Worst Band honours.
The list of winners is as follows: Best British Band: Oasis Best International Band: The Killers Best Solo Artist: Pete Doherty Best New Band: MGMT Best Live Band: Muse Best Album: Only By The Night by Kings Of Leon Best Track: Time To Pretend by MGMT Best Video: My Mistakes Were Made For You by The Last Shadow Puppets Best Dancefloor Filler: Dance Wiv Me by Dizzee Rascal Worst Album: A Little Bit Longer by Jonas Brothers Worst Band: Jonas Brothers Best Event: Glastonbury Best DVD: At The Apollo by Arctic Monkeys Outstanding Contribution to Music: Elbow Philip Hall Radar Award: The Big Pink Best Band Blog: Noel Gallagher/Oasis Sexiest Male: Matt Bellamy Sexiest Female: Hayley Williams Hero Of The Year: Barack Obama Villain Of The Year: George W
. Bush Best Dressed: Alexa Chung Worst Dressed: Amy Winehouse Best TV: The Mighty Boosh Best Website: YouTube Best Venue: London Astoria Best Album Artwork: Muse for HAARP Godlike Genius Award: The Cure

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Actress SHANNEN DOHERTY is crossing the divide from showbiz to the media - she has landed a job as art director of a glossy magazine.
The former Beverly Hills 90210 star has been placed in charge of choosing cover designs and photospreads for monthly California publication Pasadena.
Doherty’s spokesperson tells Us Weekly, "Shannen’s always been interested in magazines. She’s learning how tough it can be, but it’s just a great creative outlet.
"She’s already booking covers and working on photoshoots."

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BRITNEY SPEARS’ ex-boyfriend ADNAN GHALIB has pleaded not guilty to running over a process server with his car, after turning himself in to Los Angeles authorities.
The unnamed man claims Ghalib flew into a rage when he tried to serve the paparazzo with legal papers, on behalf of Spears, on 11 February (09) .
Police reports suggest he struck the server, who bounced off the bonnet of his Mercedes, and then drove off - leaving his victim with a broken wrist.
Ghalib was charged with three felonies - assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and hit and run - on Tuesday (24Feb09) and handed himself over to police on Wednesday (25Feb09).
He was arraigned in a Van Nuys, California court on Wednesday morning, when he entered his plea, and was released on $110,000 (£76,390) bail.

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JOHN MAYER took to the airwaves to poke fun at BRITNEY SPEARS on Wednesday morning (25Feb09), claiming the pop star’s songs are all the same these days.
Mayer was appearing on Los Angeles DJ Ryan Seacrest’s breakfast show when he decided to have a little fun at Spears’ expense.
He joked that all her songs are "about, ‘I’m going out tonight, but nobody look at me…’" Mayer added, "I’ve never met her and I’m not coming down on her but all the songs are sorta like, ‘I’m getting all my girls together, we’re gonna go out…’ and like, ‘I’ve got holes cut out for t**s, I’ve got flashlights on me.’ And it’s like, ‘Why is everybody looking at me, everybody’s looking at me.’ "It’s been so successful for her that I’m doing it too."

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CELINE DION’s husband RENE ANGELIL is teaching the couple’s eight-year-old son how to play poker, in the hope it’ll teach him a healthy attitude towards gambling.
Record boss Angelil has battled the vice for more than 30 years and fears young Rene-Charles will inherit his gambling genes if he doesn’t learn to play cards responsibly.
So the pair spend evenings playing poker together.
In an interview with Canadian publication Le Journal de Montreal, Angelil reveals, "Our son has superior intelligence, and it’s good that he’s learning in a good way." Angelil became so hooked on gambling he ended up bankrupt. He adds, "I’ve been a gambling addict for decades, and it’s just like being an alcoholic. I’ve lost more than I’ve won.
"Before marrying Celine, I used to be able to gamble because I would borrow money from the bank, since my cousin was the bank manager. Then my cousin left his job and I went bankrupt in 1982."

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Hollywood actor MORGAN FREEMAN was drinking alcohol in the hours leading up to his serious car crash last summer (08), according to a lawsuit filed by the female passenger who was with him at the time of the accident.
The Dark Knight star was driving Demaris Meyer home after a night out when the incident occurred in Tennessee in August (08).
Freeman suffered a broken arm and shoulder in the crash, while Meyer claims she sustained a broken wrist, a torn labrum in her shoulder and various other bruises and lacerations.
In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday (25Feb09) morning in Mississippi federal court, Meyer alleges she noticed "throughout the course of dinner and afterward, drinks were consumed by Freeman".
She claims they met up with friends at a pal’s house later that evening, where Freeman "had at least one more drink". Meyer left the party with Freeman after he offered to give her a room for the night - but as they were driving home, the actor lost control of the car and "ran off of the right side of the highway".
Meyer, who has hired top celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred to fight her case, is suing for damages to cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and permanent disability for her short term memory loss.
And, during a press conference held on Wednesday afternoon, Meyer also dismissed rumours she was Freeman’s mistress.
The 71-year-old’s marital status came under media scrutiny following the crash, when the identity of his passenger was revealed to be Meyer - and not his wife Myrna Colley-Lee. Freeman later confirmed he and Colley had split after 24 years of marriage.
Addressing the romance reports, Meyer insisted they were "just friends" after meeting for the first time on the night of the accident.

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TAYLOR SWIFT has scored a 10th week at the top of the U.S. album charts, becoming one of only nine female artists to land the feat.
Her Fearless album first claimed the top spot last year (08) and reclaimed the number one last week (18Feb09).
Charlie Wilson debuted Uncle Charlie at two, while former chart-toppers The Fray rebound from four to three.
Nickelback’s Dark Horse jump back into the top 10 from 11 to four and Beyonce’s I Am… Sasha Fierce rounds out the new top five at five.

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MUSE, KINGS OF LEON and MGMT were the early winners at the Shockwaves NME Awards in London on Wednesday night (25Feb09).
Muse claimed the Best Live Band prize, Kings of Leon the Best Album award for Only by the Night and MGMT were named Best New Band.
Other early winners included Pete Doherty, who received his Best Solo Artist award from a reformed Blur, Arctic Monkeys (Best DVD for At The Apollo), The Killers (Best International Band) and Elbow, who took home an Outstanding Contribution to Music honour.
Meanwhile, Dizzee Rascal claimed the Best Dancefloor Filler prize and The Big Pink took home the Philip Hall Radar Award.
Oasis grabbed the pre-event headlines after the Gallagher brothers Liam and Noel and their band snagged seven nominations. They were winless as WENN went to press.
But it was a great night for Oasis’ former chart rivals Blur, who staged a low-key comeback at the NME Awards, held at London’s Brixton Academy, just weeks after announcing reunion tour plans.
They weren’t the only early live highlight - Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand wowed the NME Awards crowd with a rendition of Blondie’s Call Me. The band was joined onstage by colourful singer La Roux.

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A movie version of classic British boardgame CLUEDO is heading to the big screen.
Pirates of The Caribbean filmmaker Gore Verbinski is slated to direct the project.
In the game - named Clue in the U.S. - competitors bid to solve the murder of one of a number of colourful characters in a country house.
Cluedo/Clue has racked up sales of more than $1 billion (GBP690 million) in more than 50 countries since it first went on sale back in 1948.
Verbinski will hope his movie fares better than the last attempt to turn Cluedo into a movie - 1985’s Clue flopped at the box office.

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Sweden’s CROWN PRINCESS VICTORIA and her former personal trainer are to wed.
The royal met Daniel Westling at a gym seven years ago and the couple has confirmed they’re engaged.
The Princess says, "It was a friendship that grew and became love." Victoria, 31, is the heir to the Swedish throne. Her husband-to-be will be known as Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland.

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HUGH HEFNER’s former girlfriend HOLLY MADISON has ended her brief romance with illusionist CRISS ANGEL.
The pair hooked up late last year (08) after Madison ended her romance with the tycoon and moved out of his Playboy mansion.
But the relationship is over, according to sources close to the 29-year-old Girls Next Door star.
An insider tells E! News, "She was very much in love with him (Angel) and they’re still very close friends. But it was a conflict of schedules. She felt she couldn’t devote 100 per cent of her time to him in Vegas, at the expense of her own career and her goals." Angel 41, has previously been romantically linked to Cameron Diaz, Minnie Driver and Paris Hilton.

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