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DREW BARRYMORE is smitten with a New York City police officer - after he rescued the star from a car chase with a group of overzealous male fans.
The Charlie’s Angels star was leaving the New York premiere of her new TV movie Grey Gardens on Tuesday (14Apr09), when she found herself being pursued through Manhattan in a dangerous car chase.
The actress had to pull over to ask police for help and, during an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman on Wednesday (15Apr09), Barrymore made sure to give a special thanks to her handsome hero.
She said, "I love New York and I have to give a shoutout to a certain officer Bentley. I was being chased by these horrible men the other night and I pulled over and I rolled my window down and I said, ‘Sir, will you please help me? These mean, awful, scary men are chasing me!’ And he goes, ‘I love you Drew Barrymore, I’ll rescue you!’ And I was like, ‘Oh my god, and you’re cute to boot?’ And he did (rescue me)."

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AMERICAN IDOL champ FANTASIA BARRINO is returning to the small screen - she’s landed her own reality TV show.
Barrino - who won the singing competition in 2004 - has signed a deal to star in an unscripted series for VH1, set to air next year (10).
The 24-year-old, who previously starred in a TV movie based on her autobiography Life Is Not a Fairy Tale, will chronicle her life as a recording artist and single mum to seven-year-old daughter, Zion, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Executive producer Randy Barbato says, "Fantasia’s life has been an open book, but at 24 years old, her story has just begun. We look forward to smashing expectations and revealing the fresh, funny and unexpected side of this one-of-a-kind country girl and superstar." The show’s title has yet to be determined.

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American singer-songwriter BEN FOLDS is releasing an album of his tracks performed by U.S. university choirs.
Folds came up with the idea after spotting choirs’ performances of his hits on video-sharing website YouTube.com.
So he travelled the country to pick the best renditions and has compiled them on a new disc.
Folds reveals, "I’m a songwriter first, and yet I’ve never really been covered. I figure they’re going to be covered by somebody important one day. So of course I was thrilled. I got to hear the songs actually take flight. These are the songs doing what they’re supposed to do."

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Rockers DEPECHE MODE have failed to knock LADY GAGA from the top of the European singles chart - POKER FACE is still the continent’s most popular song.
Gaga continues her reign for the eighth consecutive week, with Depeche Mode’s latest release Wrong only managing to enter the chart at four, followed by the only other new entry in the top 10 - Scottish dance star Calvin Harris’ I’m Not Alone at five.
Rapper Flo Rida remains unmoved as Right Round sits at two, and Enrique Iglesias’ duet with Ciara, Takin’ Back My Love, stays put at three.
Meanwhile, U2 make it seven weeks atop the European albums chart - No Line On The Horizon keeps Gaga’s The Fame in second place and Quiet Nights by Diana Krall in third position.

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Rapper-turned-actor ICE-T is hunting for an internet user posing as him on social networking website Twitter.com - insisting he’d never write the "corny" messages posted on his fake page.
The Law & Order: SVU star took friends’ advice and created a profile on Twitter to help market his new record label, Final Level Music.
But he was stunned to find there was already a page set up in his name.
He says, "I went on Twitter… I found a dude on there named Ice-T, and he ain’t (sic) even cool. Dude’s got my name and he’s got a picture of me from Law & Order, but I’m looking at what he’s writing and it’s real corny and whack. And I’m like, if you’re going to represent me, at least have some flavour player." Ice-T pressed ahead and completed setting up his own profile, but has already caught himself writing details about his personal life he wishes he could take back.
He adds, "I get on Twitter and it’s kind of like, there are people stalking me now? Because I’m saying stuff like, ‘I’m going to the movies.’ And then I’m like, ‘Why did I just do that?’"

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Rapper/actor XZIBIT owes more than $500,000 (£335,570) in unpaid taxes, according to new documents leaked online.
The Hey Now star, real name Alvin Joiner, has had two tax liens filed against him in the past year by officials at America’s Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
According to DetNews.com, Michigan native Xzibit was recorded as owing $296,355 (£198,895) to the IRS on 17 April 2008, while a further $205,485 (£137,910) was noted in the Los Angeles County Records of Deeds office on 4 February (09).
But Xzibit isn’t the only rapper indebted to the IRS - Lil’ Kim owes $979,090 (£657,107), while Method Man had his car repossessed last month (Mar09) after failing to pay over $50,000 (£33,557) to the U.S. government in back taxes.

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Rapper EMINEM’s little brother has been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) in his home state of Michigan.
Nathan Mathers, who raps as Nathan Kane, was arrested early on Wednesday (15Apr09) morning in the Detroit suburb of Macomb Township.
According to local police, Mathers failed to pull over to let an ambulance pass and failed sobriety tests after he was stopped by cops. His blood-alcohol level was 0.16 per cent, twice the 0.08 per cent legal limit.
The 23-year-old was charged with DUI and operating a vehicle while impaired and released on personal bond.
He is scheduled for a hearing in Shelby Township’s district court on 7 May (09).

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BEN MCKENZIE is constantly reassuring fans he hasn’t given up on his acting career - after they confuse him for a real police officer on the set of new cop drama SOUTHLAND.
The star has swapped his role as a rogue teen in former show The O.C. to play a Los Angeles police officer in the new TV series, which premiered in the U.S. this month (Apr09).
But McKenzie admits fans of The O.C. are often left perplexed when they spot him in full uniform while shooting in L.A., thinking he’s quit acting to fight crime.
He says, "All the time people come up and ask directions, or they’ll recognise me. But then they decide I’ve become a cop, (that) I was in the O.C. a couple years ago and now things have gone downhill."

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Actor JOSH HARTNETT only has himself to blame for his recent hospitalisation for stomach pains - because he ignored advice against drinking unpurified water during several trips to underdeveloped countries.
The Pearl Harbor star was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital in March (09) after suffering abdominal pains during a night out.
His representative claimed Harnett had a recurring gastrointestinal disorder, which first affected him during his stint on London’s West End stage last year (08).
Harnett now admits his illness was likely caused by contaminated water - but has played down his ailment and urged fans not to worry about his health.
He tells People.com, "I’m fine. I just had a little stomach bug.
"(There’s) nothing to worry about. I went to the hospital and it was literally just a 24-hour thing. I was so dehydrated that I needed to be on a couple of IVs (intravenous therapies), but I’m good.
"It’s been reoccurring because I have been spending a lot of time in Third World countries, and I occasionally drank the water when I shouldn’t have - and sometimes it catches up with you."

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Singer JESSICA SIMPSON’s swimwear line is getting a boost from DONALD TRUMP - her bikinis will be worn by the business mogul’s Miss USA beauty pageant contestants as they battle it out for the prized crown this Sunday (19Apr09).
Bosses at Trump’s Miss Universe Organization are teaming up with Simpson, who has designed $104 (£70) white and gold string bikinis specially for the contest.
Simpson, who debuted the line less than two years ago, has also designed $88 (£59) bright green string bikinis, modelled by the beauties during a pre-pageant photo shoot in Las Vegas, Nevada.
When asked why the company chose Simpson as their swimwear designer, Trump’s spokesperson said: "Why not? They’re fabulous swimsuits."

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

Troubled former AMERICAN IDOL finalist JESSICA SIERRA has had a ban forcing her to stay away from the media lifted by a Florida judge.
In January 2008, the singer - who has been battling a substance abuse problem - was chastised by Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Daniel Perry for speaking to the press during her trial for a probation violation.
The judge ordered Sierra to stay at least 100 yards (91.44 metres) away from microphones and cameras.
She was previously forced to enter a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in 2007 after being charged with misdemeanour disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer without violence.
That incident, which took place in Ybor City, broke the terms of her probation from an earlier felony charge for assault and drug possession.
But Sierra was back in court on Tuesday (14Apr09) when her lawyer’s request to have the order removed was granted by County Circuit Judge Gregory Holder.
Holder told the star it was a "good sign" that she had so far tested clean for drugs.
And Sierra plans to head back into the recording studio to get her fledgling career back on track.
She tells ABC News, "Now my life continues and I get to go back into the studio and record an album and I’m just gonna continue doing what I’m doing.
"I work with kids, raising awareness for drug prevention, so I’m gonna continue doing that and just add music to it now."

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A British chef has been jailed for smashing up JAMIROQUAI frontman JAY KAY’s prized $1.49 million (£1 million) sports car.
Aaron Billington, 21, caused an estimated $14,900 (£10,000) worth of damage to the star’s Ferrari Enzo in March (09) while it was parked outside a hotel in Suffolk, east England as Kay socialised with pals.
Billington claimed he smashed the car’s windows in a "moment of madness" after seeing the singer with a girl to whom he had an "emotional attachment".
The chef appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday (16Apr09) and was jailed for a total of 20 weeks after admitting criminal damage.
His sentence also took into account new charges of failing to answer bail and leaving bed and breakfast accommodation and an Indian restaurant without paying.

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British singer-songwriter CALVIN HARRIS lied about losing the only copy of his new album at a London airport last summer (09) - because he’d missed a record company deadline to finish it.
The Scottish star feigned outrage last April (08), alleging a hard drive containing his sophomore disc went missing as he returned to the U.K. from America.
He said at the time, "This is not good news for me. I have been walking in circles for a couple of days." Bosses at his record label Columbia even criticised executives at British Airways for only offering him a paltry compensation.
A spokesperson said at the time, "He has lost the only copy of the new album. It is a big cause for concern - months of work have gone into that.
"They have offered about £750 in compensation. You can’t really put a price on something like a new record." The 25-year-old is now preparing for the album’s release, and admits he lied about losing the tracks to buy himself more time to finish the album.
Harris tells PopJustice.com, "The first tactic of delaying the album was pretending that I lost it at Heathrow. That one worked pretty well. That was concocted between me and my sound engineer, Jimmy.
"I should make it clear that they did in fact lose our bags - that is fact - but it was not true that the album was in them. I would never check a hard drive in luggage. So the thing about Heathrow wasn’t so much a lie, as, well, an untruth."

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Hip-hop star NATE DOGG will no longer face charges for allegedly stalking his estranged wife - because his spouse has failed to contact California prosecutors to pursue the case.
The Area Codes singer, real name Nathaniel Hale, pleaded not guilty last July (08) to two counts of making criminal threats and one accusation of stalking, in addition to a misdemeanour driving with a suspended license charge.
The accusations of criminal threats relate to emails Hale sent his wife in early 2008, while the stalking count results from an incident in which he allegedly pursued his wife in a car chase on a San Diego freeway.
However, during a court hearing earlier this week (begs13Apr09), authorities revealed they have now dropped the stalking charge from their investigation.
Hale, 38, was not in attendance at the hearing; he is still in a rehabilitation facility after suffering two major strokes in December 2007 and September 2008.

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The family of the actress murdered by PHIL SPECTOR have praised his conviction in an emotional statement.
The music producer was jailed on Monday (13Apr09) after jurors in Los Angeles found him guilty of killing Lana Clarkson at his Alhambra, California mansion in 2003.
And Clarkson’s family are relieved Spector is finally behind bars, two years after his first murder trial in 2007 ended with a jury deadlock.
A spokesperson says, "The family’s pleased that the jury rejected the distortion and trashing of Lana Clarkson’s life which was a part of this trial, the past trial and it’s been going on now for six years. Actions have consequences; Mr. Spector has to face the consequences of his acts. There’s no joy here today - it’s a tragedy." The family is expected to press ahead with a wrongful death civil action against Spector.

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Award-winning French writer MAURICE DRUON has died, aged 90.
Druon, who co-wrote one of France’s most patriotic anthems during World War II, died on Tuesday (14Apr09) in Paris after suffering cardiovascular problems.
He co-wrote Chante des Partisans with Joseph Kessel in 1943, which briefly became the country’s unofficial anthem, next to Le Marseillaise.
In 1948, Druon received France’s most acclaimed literary award, the Prix Goncourt (The Goncourt Prize) - given to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year" - for his novel Les grandes familles.
His writing earned him the 30th seat of the Academie francaise (French Academy) in 1966, where he was elected to oversee the French language and usage for the state - a post he held for nearly four decades.
He also served as Minister of Cultural Affairs in 1973 and 1974 in Pierre Messmer’s cabinet, and as a deputy of Paris from 1978 to 1981.
Paying tribute to Druon, French President Nicolas Sarkozy called him “a great writer, a great Resistance fighter, a great politician and a great soul".

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British writer, broadcaster and former politician SIR CLEMENT FREUD has died at the age of 84.
Freud, whose grandfather was legendary psychiatrist Sigmund Freud and his brother artist Lucien Freud, died on Wednesday (15Apr09) at his home in London.
The cause of death has not been disclosed.
He was born in Berlin, Germany but raised in Britain after his family fled the Nazi regime in the 1930s, and he served in the British Army during the Second World War.
After the war, Freud opened his own restaurant in London and became one of the U.K.’s first celebrity chefs, writing a number of newspaper columns and books about food.
In the 1960s he became a household name in the U.K. thanks to a string of successful dog food commercials in which he starred alongside his bloodhound Henry.
In the 1970s Freud entered politics and spent 10 years as a Liberal Member of Parliament, before returning to broadcasting, with regular appearances on a BBC Radio 4 comedy show.
His varied life and career also includes a brief musical interlude - Freud lent his recognisable voice to a track on Wings’ 1973 album Band on the Run. Sir Paul McCartney also chose him to appear on the album cover.
Freud is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jill, five children - including PR guru Matthew and successful broadcaster Emma - and 17 grandchildren.

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New York-based comedienne WHOOPI GOLDBERG is continuing to fight her crippling fear of flying head-on - she’s boarding her second flight in a decade to surprise her daughter in Los Angeles.
The actress has shuttled herself across the country on buses before a recent business commitment in London forced her to step on a plane for the transatlantic flight.
A shaken Goldberg accepted an offer from Virgin Atlantic boss Sir Richard Branson to undergo a special course to ease her fear, before boarding a private jet to London with a doctor on standby.
Goldberg hired the medical professional to administer sedatives to her in case she suffered a panic attack during the flight - but she had no need to worry and slept through most of the journey.
And the Sister Act star is now so determined to conquer her fear once and for all, she’s ditching the bus for a cross-country flight.
She tells the New York Post, "I had a guy with me (on the flight to London), but I didn’t need it. I’m kind of proud. I’m going to fly to the West Coast to surprise my daughter."

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