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KATY PERRY has laughed off reports she is dating PARIS HILTON’s ex BENJI MADDEN - insisting she is just "good friends" with the rocker.
The I Kissed A Girl hitmaker was spotted getting close to the Good Charlotte star at Las Vegas nightclub Lavo on Valentine’s Day (14Feb09).
Internet gossips were quick to link the pair as they both had recently split from their respective partners. Perry recently broke-up from Gym Class Heroes star Travis McCoy. Hilton and Good Charlotte rocker Madden went their separate ways in November (08) after nine months together.
But the singer was quick to dismiss the speculation - stating she and Madden were part of a 25-strong crowd enjoying a boozy night out.
She writes on her blog, "Oh kittens! It’s two pseudo famous people sitting next to each other… doesn’t mean we were bumping uglies! You know I don’t just do that with anyone! That’s just how the media works, as you can tell. I was there celebrating a really fun show and a boozy valentines with all my good friends. We were like a group of 25! Benji is a nice young fellow, but my heart really belongs to kitty purry/markus molinari."

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R&B superstar AKON and actress GABRIELLE UNION have offered RIHANNA words of support following her alleged fight with ex boyfriend CHRIS BROWN - urging her to stay strong.
Rihanna has been in hiding since she and Brown were reportedly involved in a nasty dispute last week (08Feb09) which allegedly left the Umbrella star needing hospital treatment.
Brown subsequently turned himself over to police and was charged with making criminal threats.
The Kiss Kiss singer later broke his silence, releasing a statement stating he was "saddened" by the incident, and that he was seeking solace in getting counselling from his pastor and his family.
The story has since dominated news headlines, with many of Rihanna’s contemporaries and friends voicing their opinions on the subject, including Jessica Alba and Kerry Washington.
Jay-Z - Rihanna’s mentor - also tackled the delicate topic, asking the public and the media to support the star, saying " She’s going through a tough time. You have to realise she’s a young girl, as well. She’s very young." And now, Bad Boys II actress Gabrielle Union - a pal of Rihanna and Brown - insists that although the incident is regrettable, she hopes the high profile case will help to get people rallying against domestic violence.
She says, "I know them both. Unfortunately, no one knows all the facts yet… what I think is great about this unfortunate situation is it can get us talking about violence… violence is never the answer. It’s good to get that dialogue started. I wish this wasn’t the catalyst for that… it’s never good to use violence as a means to an end." Akon has also reached out to Rihanna to offer his support.
He says, "Keep doing what you’re doing baby. Keep things positive! She’s a strong woman. I think she’ll get through it."

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Pop star LILY ALLEN is set to take legal action against a British newspaper - after it published a story stating she had urged children to dabble with illegal drugs in a foreign magazine interview.
Britain’s News of the World reported the Smile singer told Dutch magazine Revu that parents should encourage their offspring to try drugs to see how they reacted to them.
According to the publication, the translated interview saw Allen state, "Parents should say, ‘Drugs might seem fun but they do funny things to your brain. Some people react to it good, some don’t. Try it and see what you think.’ If I hadn’t been famous I’d have taken loads. Wouldn’t be too wise right now." The alleged comments came just weeks after the star was forced to issue a statement condemning drugs after she was quoted as saying the issue is "sensationalised" and that she knows people who "take cocaine three nights a week and get up and go to work everyday, no problem".
Now, the star is seemingly considering taking legal action against the News Of The World for its take on the interview, refuting she ever made the comments.
She writes on her Twitter blog, "Phoning my lawyers and taking legal action, news of the world need a better dutch translator, as if I would say that (about drugs). And they know it…"

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The future of HEIDI KLUM’s U.S. reality programme PROJECT RUNWAY is still in the balance - the German supermodel insists she doesn’t know when the show will return to TV.
The fashion design talent contest was thrown into turmoil last year after executives at NBC station Bravo won a court-ordered injunction, blocking the show’s $150 million (£107million) sale to Lifetime network last summer (08).
The series’ producers at Weinstein Company also filed a countersuit in October (08), claiming Bravo had diminished the show’s value by planning a new series with similar content - tentatively titled Fashion House.
And Klum, who fronts the show in America, is still baffled with the on-going court battle - insisting she is desperate to get back to work on the series.
She tells Access Hollywood, "I know, the fans want Project Runway… I want Project Runway. The people of Project Runway want Project Runway! I think that just the networks are still battling.
"You know I’m waiting the same way everyone else is waiting, and I know I’ve been saying that for months now but it’s really not in my hands you know? I have to wait the same way everyone else has to wait."

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MEGAN FOX is light years ahead of the competition when it comes down to sex appeal - she has been voted the hottest sci-fi babe of all time.
The raven-haired actress has landed the top spot for her turn as car-obsessed beauty Mikaela Banes in 2007 hit movie Transformers, in a poll conducted by MSN Movies.
Halle Berry came a close second as mutant weather-controller Storm in the X-Men franchise, while actress/model Milla Jovovich was voted in third by sci-fi fans for her role in The Fifth Element.
Star Wars fans added Natalie Portman into the poll, while original sci-fi babe Sigourney Weaver’s iconic alien-fighter Ellen Ripley came fifth.

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Actress/director PATRICIA ARQUETTE made her latest season of hit TV show MEDIUM a family affair - she cast her own son in a role after failing to find a suitable actor for the part.
Arquette recently helmed her first episode of the supernatural crime drama, and, after struggling to find a teen to fit the character’s description, she turned to her child Enzo for help.
She says, "We were casting very quickly and we were shooting while we were casting, and the character is 40 years old and we needed him when he was like 16 or 18 years old. At that point your face is very formed so when we put them next to the father, they looked too big, or they didn’t look like the man we’d cast (as the dad), so I called my son the night before and said, ‘You have to do this’. He’s 20 but he looks pretty young." And Arquette made sure young Enzo, who had never acted before, was fully prepared for the part.
She adds, "He’s not an actor. I went through his lines with him every night. He’s going to art school, it’s not a priority for him."

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SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE star ANIL KAPOOR believes the hit movie’s incredible success is down to the global economic crisis.
The Bollywood superstar, who plays game show host Prem Kumar in Danny Boyle’s movie, believes the film offers a welcome escape for fans in times of financial hardship.
He tells inthenews.co.uk, "It’s the story of an underdog, a great love story - it’s like a combination of Rocky meeting Gone With the Wind or Titanic!" "The best part of the love story is that it has a happy ending and that’s what the world needs. There’s recession and depression and suddenly a film comes along that is very gritty and real but still has a happy ending." And the film has certainly proved a hit with moviegoers and critics alike - it has grossed over $129 million (£92 million) worldwide, while picking up a slew of Golden Globe and BAFTA awards. It is also nominated for ten Academy Awards at next weekends (22Feb09) Oscars ceremony.

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KELLY RUTHERFORD has reached out to her estranged husband DANIEL GIERSCH - insisting the publicly scrutinised custody battle for their two-year-old son pushed them into saying "things they don’t mean".
The actress filed for divorce from Giersch in December (08) and the couple waged a war of words through the courts over who should be granted the right to look after their son, Hermes, while Rutherford films hit series Gossip Girl in New York.
The couple testified against each other in a hearing at a Santa Monica, California court in January (09).
A judge subsequently ruled in favour of Rutherford, letting the pair’s son stay with the actress in Manhattan until next month (Mar09) while Giersch was awarded two overnight visits per week during February and three per week for March (09).
But, despite their bitter in-court spats, Rutherford insists she is trying to stay positive for the sake of her child - insisting she hopes she and her ex can "work it out".
She tells Life & Style magazine, "We (she and Giersch) have kids together. We have a beautiful son together. I think we’re both decent people. But sometimes you go through tough times. It’s a challenge, you know? "I think everyone goes through it on a certain level. When it’s public, it’s really hard. People say things they don’t mean because they’re upset. I’m hoping we can work it out."

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NINE INCH NAILS frontman TRENT REZNOR has confirmed the band will take a career break - but not before they tour the world with recently reunited rockers JANE’S ADDICTION.
Reznor has confirmed his band are planning to take a hiatus, insisting they deserve a rest after releasing records and touring for 20 years.
The rocker claims the group’s Lights in the Sky tour last year (08) left them "dazed" - but has promised fans they will return for one last jaunt before they "disappear for a while".
And Reznor insists the band’s farewell tour will be one to look forward to - after he persuaded Jane’s Addiction to hit the road for the first time in over 15 years.
The band’s original line-up got back together for a gig last October (08), after Reznor urged them to get back into the recording studio.
And he has worked his magic again - insisting it "feels right" for the two groups to hit the road together.
He writes on the Nine Inch Nails website, "In NIN (Nine Inch Nails) world, 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of our first releases. I’ve been thinking for some time now it’s time to make NIN disappear for a while. Last year’s ‘Lights in the Sky’ tour was something I’m quite proud of and seems like the culmination of what I could pull off in terms of an elaborate production. It was also quite difficult to pull off technically and physically night after night and left us all a bit dazed.
"After some thought, we decided to book a last run of shows across the globe this year. The approach to these shows is quite different from last year - much more raw, spontaneous and less scripted. Fun for us and a different way for you to see us and wave goodbye. I reached out to JANE’S (Addiction) to see if they’d want to join us across the U.S. and we all felt it could be a great thing. Does it feel right to us and does it seem like it will be fun for us and you? Yes it does."

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British dance duo PET SHOP BOYS will reportedly team up with U.S. dance sensation LADY GAGA for an explosive performance at the forthcoming Brit Awards.
The 80s pop idols will collect the event’s Outstanding Contribution award at the prizegiving in London on Wednesday (18Feb09).
They are desperate to ensure their performance goes with a bang - and have roped in the Just Dance hitmaker to add a sexy edge to their set.
The singer will sing the duo’s hit Nothing Has Been Proved - which they collaborated on with legendary singer Dusty Springfield in 1989, according to Britain’s The Sun Newspaper.
A source tells the publication, "The organisers wanted a female singer who would really shock to sing this track.
"GaGa is the girl. She will be perfect. Don’t expect many clothes."

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Wrestler-turned-movie star DWAYNE JOHNSON is planning a big trip to Samoa for his daughter - so she can truly appreciate the culture she comes from.
The action man is part-Samoan and was recently awarded a royal title for his efforts in promoting the culture, and now he wants his seven-year-old, Simone, to learn about her heritage.
He tells Giant magazine, "There’s a big trip to Samoa that we’re going to take for her. These are rich cultures." And he’s sure to be welcomed home with a fanfare - Johnson’s grandfather was a Samoan high chief.

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BEN AFFLECK has turned journalist to write an essay on the conflict in the Congo for Time magazine.
The actor/director took a trip to the embattled African region last year (08), and now he’s challenging politicians to do more to help the innocents caught up in the genocide.
Calling his Time article "amateur journalism," the humble star shares his thoughts about the Congo.
He writes, "The warring parties in the east can be distilled into three main groups: the Congolese army; a breakaway faction composed mainly of Tutsis, led by a former general, Laurent Nkunda; and an outlaw militia, the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), led by the same Interahamwe Hutu extremists who committed the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in neighbouring Rwanda.
"Of late, most of the world’s focus has been on the fighting between President Laurent Kabila’s army and Nkunda’s forces. When I met Nkunda, he made a compelling case for his rebellion, framing it as opposition to Kinshasa’s co-operation with the genocidaires of the FDLR and offering a moving history of the persecution of the Tutsi.
"But, like many militia leaders, Nkunda and his men have been accused of war crimes. I met a number of child soldiers who served in his militias, and his soldiers have been accused of participating in massacres." Affleck goes on to offer more history about the conflict, and uses photographs of rape and torture victims to visualise his essay.
He recalls meeting one woman, whose image graces the pages of his Time article: "Mary, the scarred woman in the center of the photo collage on the next two pages, told me that FDLR men raped her, set her house on fire and left her to die. She survived. Her 2-year-old daughter did not." The actor concludes, "In interviews with Congolese civilians living under FDLR control, I consistently heard one thing: they wanted the genocidaires out. But many believe the only lasting solution will be a military one - and no Western nation has shown much interest in shipping troops to central Africa."

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French Oscar winner JULIETTE BINOCHE has taken her new dance show to Australia.
The English Patient star co-wrote, produced and directed In-I, which debuts at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday (18Feb09).
The production she created with choreographer Akram Khan premiered at the National Theatre in London in September (08).

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HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL star ASHLEY TISDALE’s films and music have inspired a modern-day PETER PAN.
The actress/singer reveals one teenage fan recently wrote to her to reveal her performances had inspired him to audition for a part in a school play - and he landed the lead.
She says, "It’s great to be able to touch peoples’ lives. We actually had a boy come over to us and explain how he got the courage to audition for a school musical after watching our movie. He was a basketball jock who ended up getting the lead in Peter Pan." But Tisdale admits she can never get used to the noise HSM fans make around the world when they meet the stars of the films: "The High School Musical fans are very passionate wherever you go - and they have exactly the same screams."

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PATRICIA ARQUETTE is keen to unite her acting siblings for a special one-off episode of her hit TV show MEDIUM.
The star comes from a whole generation of actors - sister Rosanna, transgender Alexis, brothers Richmond and David Arquette have all had differing measures of success on screen. David is married to former Friends star Courteney Cox.
Patricia admits her family has discussed the idea - and she would be delighted if they could pull off a family reunion on her supernatural crime drama.
She says, "Yeah, we’ve talked about it. My brother Richmond has done an episode. I would love to work with all of them in one big bunch."

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HEROES co-stars HAYDEN PANETTIERE and MILO VENTIMIGLIA have split after a year-long romance.
The two stars are still on friendly terms, according to pals, but their lives were going in different directions.
A source tells Usmagazine.com, "It was a lifestyle conflict… (She) is young. She likes to go out in the Hollywood scene and that’s not his style. (Ventimiglia) has been concentrating on work, on his production company." At 31, Ventimiglia is 12 years older than the teenage actress. The pair reportedly spit last week (ends13Feb09).

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R&B star JILL SCOTT had to relearn her dialect for new TV series THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY after realising she had the wrong language coach.
The singer/actress plays a Botswana-based sleuth and thought she was doing an amazing job until locals started raising their eyebrows at her accent.
She explains, "I was dialect-coaching with the wrong person. I don’t know how many people would notice the subtle nuances, but the people from Botswana were like, ‘Uh oh!’" Scott has since discovered her voice coach hailed from Botswana’s neighbour Zimbabwe - and was honing her accent to his native dialect.

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Rocker KIP WINGER has been presented with a very special American flag for his services to the U.S. military.
The Winger frontman was honoured by the United States Government and Military during the taping of TV show Legends in Lyrics at the weekend (15Feb09).
He was presented with a plaque and the U.S. flag which flew over Forward Operating Base Kalsu, in Iskandaria, Iraq - before it was turned over to Iraqi forces.
Winger received the honour from General Harold Cross, who revealed his song Blue Suede Shoes had become a forces favourite.
Stunned Winger says, "I had been doing solo shows at military bases and speaking with many of the soldiers. Their stories touched me. It was amazing to hear how far reaching our music was and how many soldiers have been moved by it; I was truly humbled by the stories."

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