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AKON is confused by reports linking the robbery of his in-house producer DETAIL to an alleged feud with rap mogul MARION ‘SUGE’ KNIGHT - because their dealings have always been "peaceful".
The producer’s home in Van Nuys, California was raided by a group of armed men on Tuesday (24Mar09) night, with the thieves taking an estimated $300,000 (£205,480)-worth of items, including recording equipment, a top-of-the-range stereo and the keys to a Mercedes-Benz car.
Detail subsequently spoke to gossip website TMZ.com about the incident, reportedly claiming Knight was behind the ambush following a violent clash between him and a member of Akon’s entourage in February (09).
Death Row Records founder Knight was allegedly assaulted by Robert Carnes, Jr., an associate of Akon’s camp, following a heated argument at a party in Arizona during the NBA All-Star Weekend - an altercation which left the mogul needing hospital treatment for his injuries. Carnes, Jr. has since denied charges of assault.
And now Akon has spoken out about the robbery and Knight’s alleged involvement, insisting he has been trying to get in touch with Detail to clarify the reports.
He tells MTV News, "I just got in from overseas… and all this news hit me at one time. He (Detail)’s actually a producer I signed recently. … I couldn’t get in contact with him to get the full story. I’m trying to find out the story from him before I can put it out on record." Regarding his relationship with Knight, Akon says, "All I know, we always had peaceful conversations. I’m trying to figure out why it’s escalating to this extent. We never had no problems." But the Lonely hitmaker is confident the situation will be resolved amicably, adding: "All I can do is the right thing. Everything always works itself out."

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

Singer/actress ASHLEE SIMPSON has brushed off reports her marriage to rocker PETE WENTZ is in trouble, insisting "everything is fine".
The couple wed in May last year (08) and welcomed baby boy Bronx in November (08).
Rumours surfaced earlier this month (Mar09) suggesting Simpson was unhappy with the Fall Out Boy star’s constant partying, while she was left at home to look after their son.
A source says, "Ashlee and Pete are on the rocks. He is going out all the time and she’s stuck at home. It’s just not working." But Simpson’s representative has denied the allegations, assuring fans the couple is still happily married and Wentz will return to their Los Angeles home once he completes his band’s Australian tour.
The spokesperson tells the New York Post’s Page Six, "This is not true. Everything is fine in their world."

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New York Yankees baseball legend JOHNNY BLANCHARD has died after suffering a heart attack.
Blanchard, who played in five consecutive World Series for the team, died on Wednesday (25Mar09) in North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. He was 56.
The left-handed hitter played primarily in the Major Leagues as an outfielder and catcher until 1965.
He is best remembered for a heroic play in the 1961 World Series, when he hit two home runs against the Cincinnati Reds.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; his sons, Tim, Paul and John; and six grandchildren.

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Olympic and world champion boxer GIOVANNI PARISI has died in a car accident in northern Italy. He was 41.
Parisi died on Wednesday (25Mar09) when the car he was driving collided head on with a van on a highway outside the town of Voghera, where he lived.
Police officials are investigating the cause of the accident.
Parisi won the featherweight gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
He was also the World Boxing Organization’s lightweight champion from 1992 to 1994 and won the championship again in the junior welterweight division in 1996 and 1997.

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Basketball superstar KOBE BRYANT and his wife VANESSA have slammed their former housekeeper’s allegations she was verbally abused throughout her employment with the couple - branding the accusations "outrageous" and "totally unfounded".
Maria Jimenez recently filed suit against the Bryants, claiming wrongful discharge, invasion of privacy, emotional distress and unpaid wages.
In the legal papers, Jimenez specifically alleges Vanessa "badgered, harassed and humiliated" her by "yelling and screaming" at her in front of other people in their household.
But the Bryants have hit back - with their attorneys at Loeb & Loeb LLP insisting the lawsuit is full of lies, reports TMZ.com.
In a statement released on Wednesday (25Mar09), they say: "We have learned that a former employee of the Bryants, Maria Jimenez, has filed a complaint against our clients. Ms. Jimenez’s outrageous allegations of improper conduct are totally unfounded and patently false. The Bryants intend to vigorously defend against these untruthful allegations and are confident that the baseless nature of the allegations will be proven."

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Actor JEREMY PIVEN is confident he will be cleared of allegations he faked a health scare to allow him to pull out of Broadway play SPEED-THE-PLOW as he prepares to defend his honour in an arbitration hearing.
The Entourage star stepped down from the show in December (08), citing severe fatigue. He claims he was diagnosed with toxic mercury poisoning and blames regular sushi meals for his medical woes.
Broadway bosses, who were forced to replace Piven with William H. Macy at the last minute, are furious with his sudden departure and are not convinced the actor was really ill.
They filed a complaint with the Actors Equity Association, claiming Piven’s exit jeopardised show earnings.
The case is due to be heard in an arbitration meeting with union bosses in June (09), and Piven is sure he can prove his illness was serious - because U.S. president Barack Obama has identified mercury poisoning as a "grave chemical problem".
His representative says in a statement, "After Mr. Piven was diagnosed with a potentially toxic Mercury level, he reluctantly left SPEED-THE-PLOW at the insistence of his doctors, who warned him that enforced rest was required to avoid severe medical problems, including a heart attack. Mr. Piven is looking forward to testifying in Arbitration along with his doctors so that the truth comes out about the very health serious risks caused by Mercury exposure, which the Obama administration has recently described as the world’s gravest chemical problem." And Piven is mystified by the theatre executives’ decision to share details of the hearing to the press - vowing to keep his medical records private - because he has been open to being reexamined by a doctor from the start.
The rep adds, "Mr. Piven had also repeatedly offered to be examined by a doctor designated by the producers both before, during and after his hospitalisation for toxic Mercury levels. The producers never took him up on that offer.
"The fact that the producers issued a statement announcing the Arbitration dates suggests that this is part of a punitive strategy to intimidate actors so that they ignore serious health symptoms and the advice of medical professionals due to fear that they will be sued."

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

Reality TV pin-up KIM KARDASHIAN has defended her curvy figure once again, after a website accidentally posted a picture of her sporting cellulite.
A snap of the star was uploaded onto Complex magazine’s website on Thursday (26Mar09) before it had been airbrushed and retouched.
It was quickly removed and replaced with a shot of Kardashian looking slimmer and with smoother skin, but not before eagle-eyed bloggers had grabbed the unauthorised photo and posted it elsewhere on the internet.
But the 28-year-old insists she isn’t embarrassed about the mishap.
Kardashian writes on her own blog, "So what: I have a little cellulite. What curvy girl doesn’t!? "How many people do you think are photoshopped? It happens all the time. I’m proud of my body and my curves and this picture coming out is probably helpful for everyone to see that just because I am on the cover of a magazine doesn’t mean I’m perfect." But Kardashian admits she will be spending more time working out to avoid any more awkward exposés: "This all motivates me to stay in the gym because my goal this year has been to get in better shape and tone up! Hard work pays off!"

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

DAME ELIZABETH TAYLOR’s ailing health has prompted sales representatives for cosmetics company ELIZABETH ARDEN to reportedly ask for "bereavement rates" on advertisements featuring the Hollywood legend.
The 77-year-old - the face of the cosmetics company’s White Diamonds perfume - uses a wheelchair and is thought to be suffering from congestive heart failure.
Reports in October (08) claimed Taylor was in such poor health, she had visited family members in the U.K. to bid them farewell.
According to the New York Post, sales representatives for Elizabeth Arden are contacting beauty magazines to ask for discounted advertising rates should Taylor die this year (09).
A source says, "They want to do a big ‘we loved you’ kind of spread on the cheap." A spokesperson for Arden had not returned requests for comment as WENN went to press.

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Pop superstar MADONNA stunned fans after taking over her manager’s online Twitter account on Wednesday (25Mar09) to declare she is "glad" to have divorced GUY RITCHIE.
The singer’s longtime friend and producer Guy Oseary delighted those subscribed to his page on the the social networking site by announcing he was sitting next to the Material Girl herself.
He wrote: "Sitting here with Madonna. Firstly she wants to say hello to all the iconers (fan club members) out there.
"Madonna wants to thank all of you that took the time to send in their thoughts for g-hits (Greatest Hits) album. We will be online for the next 10 minutes." And when a supporter then congratulated the star on parting ways with filmmaker Ritchie last year (08), the singer appeared to join in on the cyber chat - typing a message that expressed her delight over her divorce.
A user under the name Nickfirth wrote: "Hello Madonna honey am glad you are single again - you made your best music as a single woman! yeehaw!" Minutes later, the singer apparently replied: "NOT AS GLAD AS I AM! M……………" But before she signed off, Madonna couldn’t help but single out gossip blogger Perez Hilton, accusing him of favouring fellow pop star Britney Spears by filming a video clip to air during her Circus tour.
In a note directed at Hilton, she wrote: "You obviously love Britney more cause you made an opening film for her show and not mine. I still love you, - going to sleep! - M"

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Pop star MELANIE BROWN is investing in an unusual new venture - a British TV channel which only screens French movies.
The former Spice Girl has decided to pour money into U.K. TV station Sky CineMoi, which airs Gallic cinema around the clock, after her husband Stephen Belafonte introduced her to foreign films.
And the singer, who has become a small screen personality in both the U.S. and her native U.K., is convinced British audiences will love the works of movie legends such as Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut and Claude Chabrol.
She says, "This is a great opportunity to expand my business activities. It is a unique venture."

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

BRITNEY SPEARS’ sister JAMIE LYNN has reportedly called off her wedding to the father of her daughter - months after she was forced to deny rumours of a split.
The pop star’s younger sibling hit the headlines at 16 when she announced she was expecting a child with her boyfriend Casey Aldridge, who she vowed to marry.
Following the birth of their daughter Maddie Briann in June (08), the teen couple became the subject of fervent tabloid speculation which suggested they were living apart after Aldridge cheated on Spears.
The Zoey 101 star came forward in October (08) to deny the persistent infidelity rumours and re-iterate her plans to tie the knot with her boyfriend.
But now the 17-year-old is said to have scrapped her plans to walk down the aisle with Aldridge once and for all - after deciding she doesn’t need an official ceremony to make her happy.
A source tells U.S. magazine OK!, "The wedding�s off. They are still in love, living together and very happy, but they have no plans to get married. Jamie Lynn has everything she wants and feels no need for a ring and piece of paper." And the publication alleges that Spears has also decided to give up her acting career - so she can focus on raising her toddler.
The insider adds: "She has told friends and family she�s never coming back to Hollywood. She feels that part of her life is over. Jamie Lynn enjoyed every minute of doing Zoey, but since she�s had Maddie, her life has changed completely.
"She’s happy being a real hands-on Southern mother and hopes to continue that for years to come with Casey right by her side. Jamie Lynn knows she needs to make a living when she grows older, so sheâ��s already discussing her career options with advisers. She wants Maddie to grow up in comfort."

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AMY WINEHOUSE has drafted in extra help as she rushes to complete her new album - she has reportedly persuaded superproducer MARK RONSON to revive their music partnership.
Ronson produced a number of tracks on the pop star’s 2006 record Back To Black, winning a coveted Grammy award for Producer of the Year for the collaboration.
The pair was rumoured to have fallen out after Ronson claimed their attempt to record a Bond theme song last summer (08) was scrapped as the troubled singer was "not ready to work on music yet".
But Ronson has now agreed to work with the Rehab hitmaker again after she managed to kick her addictions during a recent break in the Caribbean, according to U.K. newspaper The Sun.
A source tells the publication, "Mark does not have fond memories of collaborating with Amy last year. He said he wouldn�t work with her again until she had her drug problems under control. He thinks she�s much better now so has agreed to come on board and do a little work with her on some of her songs.� Winehouse was reportedly told earlier this week (23Mar09) to re-work some of the songs she had already recorded for her upcoming third album, after her efforts failed to impressed her bosses at Island Records.

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The music academy owned by JOSS STONE’s mother has closed just weeks after the singer performed there.
The Mama Stone’s school, which was opened in 2007 in Somerset, England, by the star’s mother Wendy Joseph, aimed to give aspiring pop stars lessons in writing music and performing.
Students have been treated to a variety of concerts by artists including Sandi Thom and Stone herself, who played a gig at the venue in late February (09).
But the academy has now been forced to shut following a barrage of complaints from neighbours about the noise, according to British newspaper The Independent.

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PIERCE BROSNAN is teaming up with UMA THURMAN to play a pair of Greek gods in a big-screen adaptation of the PERCY JACKSON children’s books.
The duo will star in Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief, an adaptation of Rick Riordan’s first novel in his popular five-part series.
The story is based on Greek mythology and centres around young Percy Jackson, who discovers that he is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea.
Sean Bean, Kevin McKidd, and Melina Kanakaredes have also been added to the cast - joining Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson and Alexandra Daddario.
Chris Columbus is to direct the movie, which is slated for release in February 2010, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

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JOHNNY DEPP is the star most women would love to share a candlelit dinner with.
The Pirates Of The Caribbean actor was first choice in a poll to find the most popular celebrity dates, with women choosing him as their favourite fantasy companion - beating heart-throb George Clooney into second place.
Girls Aloud beauty Cheryl Cole was top amongst the males polled, with Jennifer Aniston and British model Kelly Brook also proving popular.
The survey, for environmental charity WWF, also found that Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury and Marilyn Monroe were the three late celebrities that would be most welcome at the dinner table.

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Brothers GARY and MARTIN KEMP vowed to reunite 1980s band SPANDAU BALLET following the tragic death of their parents earlier this year (09) - as their father’s dying wish was to see the band back together.
The musical siblings were devastated when their father Frank, 79, died of a heart attack in January (09). But their grief was compounded when their beloved mother Eileen, 77, died just 48 hours later after a heart bypass operation.
The band - which also includes Tony Hadley, Steve Norman and John Keeble - split in 1989 and became bitter enemies following a series of court battles over royalty payments.
But the True hitmakers announced their return to the music scene on Wednesday (25Mar09), confirming plans for a world tour this autumn (09).
And the Kemp brothers admit the loss of their parents pushed them to reconcile with their former bandmates.
Gary Kemp says, "The second thing my mum said after we told her dad had a heart attack and wasn’t going to live was that he was looking forward to seeing Spandau Ballet being back and it was such a shame.
"Both of them were very excited about the prospect of a reunion before they passed away. It’s given us another reason to do this. Their sons are making the wish come true and to make them proud of us."

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LIAM GALLAGHER will never walk the runways to model his fashion designs - despite dreaming up the line to solve his own clothing problems.
The Oasis rocker announced last week (begs16Mar09) he is preparing to launch his own range - dubbed Pretty Green - after becoming sick of men’s shops stocking skinny jeans and pointy-toed shoes.
But the star is adamant reports he will storm the catwalk to debut the line in June (09) are completely false.
He writes on his page on social networking site Twitter.com: "Just been reading the (music magazine) NME about me doing a catwalk to premiere Pretty Green. No chance. LG."

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MARK RONSON has enlisted extra help while recording with pop stars DURAN DURAN - he has brought one of the KAISER CHIEFS on board.
The superproducer called on Kaiser Chiefs drummer and songwriter Nick Hodgson to help him work on three new tracks for the legendary 1980s band’s next album.
And Ronson is confident that at least two of the rocker’s tracks will be included on the new record.
He tells NME.com, "I called Nick a week ago and asked if he’d be interested in coming to work with Duran Duran and write a song.
"He�s never done that before, because he only writes with Ricky (Wilson, Kaiser Chiefs frontman) and his own band, but I thought it made a lot of sense because there�s a lot of Kaiser Chiefs songs I could imagine being on a Duran Duran record 25 years ago.�

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