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DEBBIE ROWE has hit back at reports she agreed to drop her bid for custody of her two children with MICHAEL JACKSON in exchange for a $4 million (£2.6 million) payoff - insisting she is continuing her bid for parental rights.
Jackson clan matriarch Katherine was made temporary guardian of Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, aka Blanket after her superstar son died last month (25Jun09).
Rowe relinquished her rights to the two elder kids in 2001 after receiving an $8 million (£5.3 million) lump sum and an annual cash payment of $900,000 (£600,000) from the King of Pop.
The New York Post reported on Tuesday (14Jul09) that Rowe had accepted a $4 million payment to back out of the custody battle, days before a hearing scheduled for 20 July (09) was set in an effort reach an agreement over the kids’ future.
But Rowe has denied giving up her bid for Prince and Paris, with her lawyer Eric George demanding an "immediate retraction" from the newspaper.
In an open letter George writes, "There has been no agreement reached between Ms. Rowe and the Jacksons. Ms. Rowe has not and will not give up her parental rights. No determination has been reached concerning custody or visitation. And Ms. Rowe has not accepted and will not accept any additional financial consideration beyond the spousal support she and Michael personally agreed to several years ago."

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Rapper 50 CENT is preparing to go head-to-head with JAY-Z - he’s reportedly releasing his new album on the same day as the hip-hop heavyweight.
The In Da Club hitmaker has been locked in the studio putting the finishing touches to his fourth studio release, Before I Self Destruct, with his mentors Eminem and Dr. Dre.
But he’s setting his sights on a challenge with the Big Pimpin’ superstar and according to reports, plans to drop his album on 11 September (09) - the day Jay-Z’s long awaited Blueprint 3 is due in stores.
Ironically, 50 released his third album Curtis on the same day in 2007 when he went up against Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella signee Kanye West - and lost.
West’s Graduation outsold Curtis by an estimated 266,000 copies in the U.S. to snag the number one spot, while the Stronger star also came out on top in the U.K.

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DAVID ARQUETTE leaped at the opportunity to star in a fourth SCREAM movie - because it gives him the chance to work alongside his wife COURTENEY COX.
The couple has fond memories of the slasher franchise, having met on the set of the first film back in 1996 - and they’re relishing the chance to hang out on set, 10 years after Scream 3.
Arquette tells WENN, "I’m so looking for it. I get to work with my wife again, which I love. Of course we met on the first Scream movie. I think Wes Craven is going to be directing it and Kevin Williamson, who wrote the first films, is writing it, so I’m really excited."

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SANDRA BULLOCK dreaded school as a kid because she was teased by bullies for wearing frumpy clothes bought in Germany.
The Speed actress and her younger sister Gesine regularly accompanied their mother Helga, a German opera singer, as she travelled from their home in Virginia to perform in Europe.
But the constant travel abroad left Bullock clueless as to what was fashionable in her native U.S.
The star recalls, "I would make the switch on the plane from speaking English to German or vice versa, depending on whichever country we were going to…
"I’d come back (to school) from Europe and I looked like a clown compared to the cool way the other students looked and dressed. So I got my ass whooped a little bit. Kids are mean, and the sad thing is that I can still remember the first and last names of every one of those kids who were mean to me!" But Bullock insists she wouldn’t trade her worldly education: "I loved the travelling and it made me unafraid at an early age of stepping into different countries and cultures."

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MICHAEL JACKSON is set to be immortalised in a new video game.
The King of Pop, who died on 25 June (09), had been working on a computer game for "several months" leading up to his untimely passing and had even recorded vocals for the project.
Executives at his company, MJJ Productions, have decided to press ahead with Jackson’s vision and are confident fans will get to see the finished product soon.
A representative for the firm says, "I am sure it will still be released. Michael loved games." Jackson has dabbled with computer game technology in the past - he appeared in pixelated form in the Sega Genesis release Moonwalker in 1990, lent his likeness and voice to dance game Space Channel 5 in 1999 and its sequel in 2002, and also featured in Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2 in 2000.

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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE has given his Tennessee golf course a $16 million (£10.6 million) makeover to turn it into a green haven.
The golf-mad SexyBack hitmaker purchased the luxury Mirimichi resort, formerly called Big Creek Golf Course, in 2007 and he has been pouring his hard-earned cash into the venture in a bid to revamp the Woodstock grounds.
And his efforts have paid off - it’s become the first environmentally friendly course to gain certification from the golfing industry’s Audubon Classic Sanctuary Program.
Audubon programme director Nancy E. Richardson says, "As the first project in the United States to receive Audubon International’s Classic Sanctuary certification, Mirimichi has set the bar very high with their strong commitment to environmental stewardship and the ingenuity they have employed during this process." But that’s not all - Timberlake also has plans to take advantage of the latest in eco-technology and buy a fleet of solar-powered electric golf carts when they hit the market.
Mirimichi’s general manager, Greg King, says, "Creating an eco-friendly course was a priority throughout the renovations. We wanted to create a world-class golf experience that protected and enhanced nature’s canvas." The Mirimichi is expected to open on 25 July (09).

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BEATLES fans will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band’s ABBEY ROAD album next month (Aug09) by dressing up as the Fab Four and recreating the record’s famous cover.
Hundreds of devotees will cross a zebra crossing on the London street at 11.30am on 8 August (09), 40 years to the minute after the band posed for the legendary shot - captured in 1969 by Iain Macmillan.
The photo, and Sir Paul McCartney’s barefoot appearance, famously gave birth to the rumour the rocker had died and had been replaced by a lookalike.

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British funnyman RUSSELL BRAND will host the MTV Video Music Awards in September (09) for the second year running.
The Forgetting Sarah Marshall star was a relative unknown when he emceed the event in Las Vegas last year (08).
He created a storm of controversy by mocking The Jonas Brothers’ vow of chastity - but his antics have impressed MTV bosses who have asked him to bring the curtain up on this year’s bash in New York City.
Brand promises the event will be bigger and better than ever, with live performances scattered across the Big Apple.
He says, "There’ll be performances on Brooklyn Bridge, on the park, on the edge of buildings, it’s going to be really, really exciting. And it’s all completely live." Brand couldn’t resist mentioning the Jonases, while announcing the news during an appearance on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show. Insisting he’s resolved his differences with the teen heartthrobs, he joked, "I want them to play at my wedding, which, if there’s any justice in the world, will be to one of them. One of the older ones."

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SLIPKNOT rocker CHRIS FEHN had to bow out of the band’s final two dates in Spain at the weekend (10-11Jul09) to mourn the loss of a relative.
The masked percussionist was noticeably absent from the group’s concerts in Madrid and Barcelona on Friday and Saturday, respectively, forcing frontman Corey Taylor to reveal the reason why Fehn was missing from the line-up.
He told the Madrid crowd, "You may have noticed that we are missing one of our brothers. If you haven’t already heard, unfortunately Chris Fehn couldn’t be here tonight. He had to fly home, there was an unexpected tragic death in his family. But he sends all of you his love from Des Moines, Iowa." It’s the second time Slipknot’s tour has been blighted by a death in the family - Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan missed a slew of shows in May (09) after losing his mother.

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AMY ADAMS is in no rush to wed her actor fiance DARREN LE GALLO - insisting she’s been too busy to plan her walk down the aisle.
Le Gallo proposed last April (08) and is putting pressure on the actress to set a wedding date - but Adams insists her busy schedule leaves her no time to marry.
She tells America’s Allure magazine, "I’ve been really busy, and I feel like a horrible fiancee that I haven’t gotten swept up in the whole idea of a wedding. But I just haven’t.
"He wants to be married. I think he was patient for the first nine months, but that we have been engaged for a year, he’s sort of, you know, ‘This is going to happen, right?’ He understands I’m busy but he’s ready. He’s much more ready for kids and stuff than I am."

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GEORGE CARLIN’s LAST WORDS are set to be published more than a year after his death - the comedian’s autobiography will hit store shelves this November (09).
The funnyman died in June 2008 at the age of 71.
He had been working on his memoir with author Tony Hendra in the months up until his passing, and now fans will get the chance to read about his lengthy career and life under the spotlight in Carlin’s own words.
Last Words will be released in the U.S. on 17 November.

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KEVIN CONNOLLY has urged critics of his ENTOURAGE co-star JEREMY PIVEN to back off after the actor was attacked for dropping out of a Broadway play last year (08).
Piven was forced to step down from Speed-The-Plow in December (08), citing severe fatigue. He later revealed he had been diagnosed with toxic mercury poisoning due to his love of sushi.
His abrupt departure left New York theatre bosses fuming as they scrambled to find a last-minute replacement in the form of William H. Macy, and they took their complaint to the Actors Equity Association, claiming Piven’s exit jeopardised show earnings.
But Connolly is sure Piven meant no harm when he quit the stage show and is calling for a stop to the harsh comments directed towards his TV colleague, because he’s "a good guy".
He says, "I know that there was a real backlash but Jeremy’s a good guy.
"It’s easy to point the finger when you don’t know what’s going on in a person’s body but until you walk in those person’s shoes, you don’t know what’s going on. I think he got a bum deal, I don’t think it was an ideal situation for him.
"Jeremy’s a good guy and I don’t think he had any intention of getting out of the play. I think people were a little hard." However, Connolly admits he and his Entourage castmembers like to poke fun at Piven over the furore, adding: "There’s an ongoing joke about how much fish he eats and he certainly eats a lot of sushi, but mercury poisoning is a real illness."

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An auction of pop artist ANDY WARHOL’s portrait of MICHAEL JACKSON has been put on hold due to high demand for the late King of Pop’s memorabilia.
An unidentified seller paid less than $300,000 (£200,000) for the 1984 painting in May (09), just weeks before Jackson died after suffering a cardiac arrest on 25 June (09).
The artwork, which shows Jackson smiling in a red jacket inspired by his infamous Thriller costume, was expected to resell for between $1 million (£666,670) and $10 million (£6.6 million) at the Vered Gallery auction in East Hampton, New York on Sunday (19Jul09).
But an onslaught of interest from corporate buyers has forced auction officials to delay bidding.
Gallery co-owner Janet Lehr tells the New York Post, "There’s no way we could have fielded all of their questions in time. A seller can say anything and even claim title to the Brooklyn Bridge. We also wanted to make sure that the buyers were qualified… We’ve had interest from corporate people very involved with Warhol - at the Gap, J. Crew and Sony. And everyone wants to do their due diligence."

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British band LITTLE MAN TATE has devastated fans by announcing its members are to split.
The quartet formed in 2005, but after four years together they’ve decided to go their separate ways.
In an announcement on their MySpace blog, the group tells fans, "It’s something that we have sat down and discussed at length for a while now and we have decided that after a good innings, we’ve achieved what we set out to do and it’s time we moved on to other things.
"We’re all still good mates and we’ll carry on supporting each other whatever we decide to go on and do from here." The band will perform one last gig in their hometown of Sheffield, England in October (09).

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The promoters of MICHAEL JACKSON’s ill-fated London comeback concerts are planning to stage a tribute gig to mark the King of Pop’s birthday at the end of next month (Aug09).
Jackson was due to make a spectacular return with This Is It, a series of 50 concerts at London’s O2 arena, until he died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home on 25 June (09), aged 50.
Bosses at concert promoters AEG have announced they are considering staging the show, starring Jackson’s siblings, to celebrate what would have been the pop legend’s 51st birthday on 29 August (09).
AEG chief executive Randy Phillips tells BBC 6 Music radio station he is in talks with High School Musical director Kenny Ortega, who was choreographing Jackson’s concerts, for the tribute - which would be broadcast around the world.
He says, "The number one item I’m discussing is presenting This Is It the production, hopefully with the Jacksons and maybe Janet, and other artists. We have to make some hard decisions this week otherwise it will be too late to even contemplate doing anything on the 29th." Phillips expects to make a decision about the concert this week (ends17Jul09).

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Rocker JULIETTE LEWIS defied the keep-quiet rule as she cranked up the volume to perform a gig in a library on Monday (13Jul09).
Lewis and her band The New Romantiques invaded the Morecambe Library in north England as part of the Get It Loud In Libraries campaign.
The U.K. initiative, established four years ago, hosts rock concerts to encourage people to turn up to their local library.
And Lewis did her best to rock the makeshift stage, which was squeezed between the Talking Book and DVD sections, in a rousing set that left the windows fogged with steam by the end of the night.
Speaking before the event, she said, "I’ve been thinking about this show for weeks actually. Just the idea of having a rock ‘n’ roll show in a library is very funny.
"It’s doing what you’re not supposed to do, making noise in quiet places. I love it.
"I’m expecting sheer joy tonight, I’m expecting to turn everyone into 10 year olds, where they wanna rip the books off the shelves, but we’re not going to. They’ll be a lot of hip-shaking, smiles and beating hearts." And Morecambe librarian Wendy Pollard is confident the event was a success: "For us it’s a departure, but it’s been superb. There was actually one guy at the back looking at the books."

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Rap mogul JAY-Z has confirmed plans to release his first book after finalising a literary deal last week (ends10Jul09).
The 99 Problems hitmaker, real name Shawn Carter, will put pen to paper to tell the story behind the song lyrics of some of his most famous tracks.
He says, "It’s called Decoded. I named it Decoded because I’m decoding all the lyrics from my records. I’m going to pick select ones - you know all the double entendres and things that people may have missed or may have gotten, but just want confirmation on it." The book will be published by Random House imprint Spiegel & Grau, although a release date has yet to be announced.

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R&B star BRANDY has settled a lawsuit filed by the survivor of her fatal 2006 multi-car crash in Los Angeles.
Awatef Aboudihaj died after her car collided with Brandy’s Range Rover three years ago.
The singer avoided criminal charges, but was sued by Aboudihaj’s widower Marouane Hdidou and their two kids; she agreed earlier this month (Jul09) to pay the two children of the woman killed in the accident $300,000 (£200,000) each in compensation.
According to TMZ.com, another driver, Mallory Ham - who suffered facial injuries during the crash, including a severely broken nose - has now settled with the singer for an undisclosed amount.
Brandy has yet to reach an agreement with Hdidou, who rejected his part of a $1.2 million (£800,000) settlement back in February (09), despite his attorney’s pleas to take the money. That case continues.

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