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Longtime celebrity eco-warrior ROBERT REDFORD has called on U.S. Presiden t BARACK OBAMA to use the oil slick crisis in the Gulf of Mexico as a spr ingboard to making America a green nation.
The movie star/director is appalled by the British Petroleum disaster w hich is still gushing gallons of oil into the sea off the coast of Louisi ana, but claims he always knew the U.S.’ dependency on the fuel would hav e disastrous consequences.
He tells U.S. news show Extra, "It was inevitable. It was never a quest ion of if something like this was gonna happen, but when." Redford admits he grieves for those who have lost their livelihoods bec ause of the slick, which has been confirmed as America’s worst environmen tal disaster: "It breaks my heart for them; they did not deserve this." But he is adamant all is not lost - Redford insists the oil spill could be the catalyst that transforms America into a green world leader.
In a TV message directed at Obama, the actor says, "Grab this moment in history and get a decent energy policy… You can grab leadership and ru n with it.
"There’s solar, wind, there are other solutions; we have to get the wor d out now… You can’t get rid of oil; we’re gonna need to work with oil for some time, but eventually it’s gonna go out and where are we gonna be ?"

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SCARLETT JOHANSSON has spoken out about the criticism aimed at her follow ing her Tony Awards success, insisting she deserved the Best Featured Act ress prize just as much as the classically-trained actresses she was up a gainst.
The blonde beauty walked away with award for her Broadway debut in A Vi ew From The Bridge earlier this month (Jun10), but she wasn’t allowed to enjoy the big win - theatre snobs in New York publicly insisted she wasn’ t a worthy victor, suggesting she was only hired to attract film fans.
Now the Iron Man 2 star has responded to her critics, insisting she spe nt years perfecting her craft to get to where she is - and she is adamant she was the right person for her winning role.
She tells BroadwayWorld.com, "I pounded the pavement for years and I kn ow what it’s like to struggle as an actor… So, I totally understand the frustration there.
"A lot of my friends, who are struggling actors, are going through the same thing. But I can’t apologise for it. I have worked my a** off to get to where I am, so I understand that struggle.
"For me, it’s more about hiring the right person for the job. You know, who fits that description. If somebody is cast because they are a name b ut they’re not right for the job, well, it’s very frustrating. I see that .. As an actor, you’re trying to get one foot in the door all the time." (

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Actor VAL KILMER has publicly apologised to his New Mexico neighbours for critical remarks he has made about the state in past interviews.
The Doors star accepted an offer from San Miguel County officials to ex plain himself and attended a commission meeting on Wednesday (23Jun10), w here he attempted to make amends for sleights about New Mexicans, explain ing he understood why locals would be upset when they "hear negative thin gs about a place you love".
After hearing his comments, the officials granted the actor permission to rent out guest houses on his estate near Santa Fe.
But some neighbours, led by civil rights activist Abran Tapia, are not satisfied with Kilmer’s apology because he didn’t address charges he’s an alleged racist trying to chase Latinos off his land.
And Tapia insists someone needs to continue speaking up for those who w ere offended by remarks Kilmer made in a 2003 Rolling Stone article, wher e he was quoted as saying he lives in the "homicide capital of the Southw est" and keeps a gun in his vehicle. Kilmer added, "Eighty per cent of th e people in my county are drunk." The actor has since insisted he was misquoted.

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Outspoken actor JON VOIGHT has taken aim at U.S. President BARACK OBAMA a gain in an open letter to the Washington Post newspaper.
The Deliverance star, who is Angelina Jolie’s father, called Obama a "f alse prophet" last year (09) and now he’s blasting America’s leader for h is party’s foreign policies in the Middle East.
The 71-year-old Republican calls Democrat Obama, "the first American pr esident that lied to the Jewish people, and the American people as well, when you said that you would defend Israel, the only Democratic state in the Middle East, against all their enemies." Voight continues, "You have done just the opposite. You have propagandi zed Israel, until they look like they are everyone’s enemy - and it has r esonated throughout the world. You are putting Israel in harm’s way, and you have promoted anti-Semitism throughout the world.
"You have brought this to a people who have given the world the Ten Com mandments and most laws we live by today. The Jewish people have given th e world our greatest scientists and philosophers, and the cures for many diseases, and now you play a very dangerous game, so you can look like a true martyr to what you see and say are the underdogs.
"But the underdogs you defend are murderers and criminals who want Isra el eradicated." He also blames Obama for the immigration problems at home, particularly in Arizona - where politicians have marked plans to turn the state into an illegal alien-free zone.
The actor writes, "You have brought to Arizona a civil war, once again defending the criminals and illegals, creating a meltdown for good, loyal , law-abiding citizens. Your destruction of this country may never be rem edied, and we may never recover. I pray to God you stop, and I hope the p eople in this great country realize your agenda is not for the betterment of mankind, but for the betterment of your politics." Voight ends his rant by writing, "With heartfelt and deep concern for A merica and Israel, Jon Voight."

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Hip-hop sensation DRAKE has charged to the top of the U.S. album charts w ith the third best sales week of the year (10).
The star sold 447,000 copies of his debut Thank Me Later to finish 322, 000 ahead of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, who debut Mojo at two with th eir highest-charting album since 1980.
Sarah McLachlan’s new release Laws of Illusion enters the countdown at three and the Now 34 hits compilation debuts at four.
Jack Johnson’s To The Sea falls a spot to five.

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Rocker TOM PETTY wrote new song RUNNING MAN’S BIBLE during a flood of emo tions about former bandmate HOWIE EPSTEIN’s death.
The Heartbreakers leader has often struggled with Epstein’s 2003 drug-r elated death, admitting the bass player’s narcotics use had turned him in to an unpredictable bandmate - but he was still devastated after hearing of his passing.
In a past interview, Petty said, "He was just degenerating on us to the point where we thought keeping Howie in the band was actually doing him more harm than getting rid of him. His personal problems were vast and se rious.
"We tried everything we could to reach him but it got to the point wher e his ability to do gigs was diminishing. Eventually, we realised that we were just contributing to the problem. When you’re living a life where y ou really don’t have any responsibilities, it’s easy for evil forces to t ake over.
"There’s a great sadness, because Howie was never not a Heartbreaker. H e just got to where he couldn’t do it anymore… It’s like you got a tree dying in the backyard. And you’re kind of used to the idea that it’s dyi ng. But you look out there one day and they cut it down. And you just can ‘t imagine that beautiful tree isn’t there anymore." But there’s a tribute to the bassist on Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ new album Mojo.
Petty tells Rolling Stone magazine, "I’d always wanted to deal with How ie’s death, and there’s some of that in there. It’s (Running Man’s Bible) one of those embarrassingly revealing songs. It just crept into my mind one day. I was playing the guitar, and it started falling out." (KL/RS/MT

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Jazz great BONEY JAMES is set to return to the road for his first dates s ince narrowly avoiding death in a car crash last month (May10).
The saxophonist was on his way home after performing at the Newport Bea ch Summer Jazz Festival in California on 15 May (10) when he was rear-end ed by a speeding motorist on the 405 freeway.
James suffered cuts and bruises, broken teeth and a fractured jaw in th e accident.
He was pulled from his BMW by a passersby and taken to hospital by para medics.
He cancelled a show in Columbia, South Carolina to allow himself time t o recover from the crash, but now he’s ready to hit the stage again and h as announced a summer tour (10), beginning with California dates on 3 Jul y (10).
He says, "I’m really excited to get back to playing shows. I broke my t wo front teeth in the accident and couldn’t blow for six weeks. I still h ave a brace on them and might still lose the teeth, but I’m able to play and need to get back on stage.
"I do feel very lucky to be alive, and being able to play my horn again is the best thing in the world."

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The executors of MICHAEL JACKSON’s estate have dodged a $4.58 million (=C2 =A33.05 million) creditor’s claim from the lending company behind the ref inancing of the Neverland Ranch - because company bosses missed the deadl ine for submissions.
Executives at lending firm Genesis Group International claimed they had helped Jackson secure a $45 million (=C2=A330 million) loan to prevent t he California property going into foreclosure in 2007.
The late singer was alleged to have agreed to pay Genesis 10 per cent o f the loan amount plus fees - but Jackson is said to have fallen behind o n payments amounting to $4.58 million.
Genesis bosses demanded repayment from the Jackson estate earlier this year (10) but the executors failed to act on the notice and the lenders w ere expected to join the long list of creditors vying for a slice of the superstar’s fortune.
But the bosses at Genesis had not filed a creditor’s claim by the Janua ry (10) deadline, leaving them ineligible to claim back the cash they’re allegedly owed, reports TMZ.com.
The list of creditors fighting for a stake in Jackson’s assets include his former skin doctor Arnold Klein and choreographer LaVelle Smith Jr. E ven his sister, Janet, and brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Ra ndy are reportedly listed as potential creditors.
The pop legend died a year ago (Jun09).

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Rocker GREGG ALLMAN has undergone a liver transplant in Florida.
It is hoped the surgery, which took place on Wednesday morning (23Jun10 ), will aid the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member in his battle with Hepati tis C.
A spokesman for the Allman Brothers star says, "He had a successful liv er transplant operation at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. He had been o n a waiting list for the transplant and is looking forward to a speedy re covery." Allman, 62, says, "I feel pretty good, considering everything that’s ha ppened. Everybody involved here - my doctors and nurses in the hospital a nd all the Allman Brothers fans, they’ve just all been great. All I can r eally say is ‘thanks’." The rocker began a series of treatments for Hepatitis C, but chronic da mage of his liver led to doctors to recommend a transplant.
He says, "I changed my ways years ago, but we can’t turn back time. Eve ry day is a gift."

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DAME HELEN MIRREN can add therapist to her list of unusual roles after st arring in a U.S. TV comedy skit as basketball wildman RON ARTEST’s psychi atrist.
The Queen star opened Tuesday night’s (22Jun10) Lopez Tonight show with the Los Angeles Lakers star on the couch and pretended to coach him and help him visualise a game scenario.
But the notorious sports star, known for his outbursts, tattoos and hai rstyles, wasn’t listening and dashed off, prompting the British actress t o call after him, "Ron, don’t tell anyone I’m your therapist!" (KL/WNVLOP

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Actor JEREMY LONDON’s twin brother is risking legal action from his famou s sibling after defying a cease and desist order to voice fears the actor is back on drugs and in need of "serious psychological help" following h is alleged kidnapping ordeal.
The former Party of Five star, 37, claims he was taken hostage by a gro up of men in California earlier this month (Jun10) after they offered to help him change a tyre on his car.
He insists he was held at gunpoint and forced to drive the men around P alm Springs. London also alleges he was forced to "purchase alcohol and u se illicit drugs".
Brandon Adams, 26, has since been charged with kidnapping, robbery, pos session of stolen property, vehicle theft and carjacking.
London’s mother, Debbie Nielsen, and his brother Jason, have spoken pub licly about the star’s drug battle in light of the kidnapping tale, promp ting the actor’s lawyers to fire off cease and desist letters to silence them, fearing any comments made could ruin a potential court case.
But Jason London is refusing to keep quiet and has poured doubt on the actor and his girlfriend Melissa’s accounts of the incident.
He tells People.com, "We love Jeremy, we only have his best interests a t heart. It’s absolutely false that we’re telling lies about Jeremy. We w ould never do anything to hurt him. But Jeremy and Melissa’s story of the kidnapping just doesn’t add up. None of it makes any sense. Mainly, why didn’t Melissa call the police if Jeremy went missing with these strange men until 2am? "We feel he needs serious psychological help and drug treatment as soon as possible. Jeremy’s behaviour right now is indicative of whenever he’s back on drugs. The fact that he’s lashing out against his own family and has shut us out is just one more sign of how sick he really is." And Jason fears his brother’s alleged habit will spiral out of control if he doesn’t get help now: "For years we’ve been worried sick about gett ing a phone call telling us that Jeremy’s been found dead. For months, Je remy has cut off his whole family and he refuses to talk to us. We’re des perate for anyone to get him help and that’s why we’re speaking out." (MT

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CAMERON DIAZ bears no grudge towards ANNA FARIS, despite reports the ditz y actress she portrayed in LOST IN TRANSLATION was based on the CHARLIE’S ANGELS star.
Faris has admitted she was left feeling uncomfortable when stories link ing her Kelly character to Diaz surfaced, insisting she never knew anythi ng about the connection.
And fun-loving Diaz has refused to take the reports seriously.
She says, "She’s (Faris) lovely, talented, funny, and I love watching h er. I have no ill feelings toward her whatsoever. You can’t hurt my feeli ngs. I’m the first to make fun of myself."

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Olympic-winning American ice skater SCOTT HAMILTON has undergone brain su rgery to remove a benign tumour.
The sportsman-turned-TV personality went under the knife at a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts on Wednesday (23Jun10), when a growth was cut ou t near his pituitary gland.
Doctors first detected the mass in 2004, seven years after Hamilton was treated for testicular cancer.
The 51 year old is expected to return home next week (begs28Jun10) and doctors predict he will make a full recovery.

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DENNIS QUAID has joined the cast of the FOOTLOOSE remake - he’ll play the reverend portrayed by JOHN LITHGOW in the original movie.
Former dancer Kenny Wormald was confirmed as the new lead earlier this week (beg21Jun10), replacing Chace Crawford, and Julianne Hough will play his love interest, Ariel, who happens to be the daughter of Quaid’s reli gious character.
The original 1984 film starred Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer and Chris Penn.

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Gallant ROBERT PATTINSON has come to reported on and off-screen girlfrien d KRISTEN STEWART’s defence over the criticism she received for comparing her life in the spotlight to "a rape".
Stewart, who has played a rape victim in two films, quickly apologised for her comment, calling it "a big mistake" and admitting she used the wr ong word.
In a new interview with EW.com, she adds, "I should have said ‘violated ‘, but I’m young and emotional. It’s just the way it goes sometimes… I just feel like people got so excited once they saw that it was me. It was like, ‘Sweet! Let’s get her!’ "And then for the people to exploit it under the guise of being morally upstanding is disgusting, and it embarrassed me because I was a part of it." But, after learning his co-star was criticised by officials from the Ra pe, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), Pattinson went on the atta ck.
In the same interview, he rants, "None of those associations came out a nd gave a statement without being called upon by the media first, who wer e doing it specifically to get hits on their websites. That whole system of Internet journalists, where no one is called to account, is almost ent irely about hate. All these people get away with doing it because they ha ve no responsibility to anyone.
"All they need is to get a salacious headline and people click on it, b ecause it’s easy." Pattinson has urged Stewart to use interviews to set the record straigh t at every opportunity: "It’s quite good being part of these Twilight fil ms because you have to give so many interviews all the time, you can defe nd yourself. That’s the only way… There are so many little nerds behind their computers, on their little blogs." But Stewart insists it’s easier for Pattinson to make controversial com ments in interviews: "If I said that? Crucifixion. You can say so much mo re than me. It’s insane.
"You could say, "I just took a s**t on The Queen’s face,’ and people wo uld be like, ‘Oh, I love him! I love him!’."

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Actress SUSAN SARANDON has gone under the surgeon’s knife to fix an ongoi ng foot problem.
The Oscar winner injured her foot in a fall during a charity trip to Ha iti in January (10), and when she continued to suffer pain, she decided t o get the problem fixed once and for all.
Appearing at the New York premiere of Great Directors at The Museum Of Modern Art on Tuesday (22Jun10) on crutches, Sarandon explained, "I recen tly had foot surgery to fix a problem that was aggravated during the trip to Haiti." But the actress, who also co-owns a New York table tennis club, is taki ng her hobble in her stride, joking, "I hope to resume serious ping pong training in a few weeks."

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Rap mogul MASTER P is teaming up with basketball legend EARVIN ‘MAGIC’ JO HNSON to give underprivileged kids the chance to meet the sporting icon a t a free summer camp.
The hip-hop star, real name Percy Miller, is hosting the Game of Life B asketball Camp in Pasadena, California on Saturday (26Jun10). Through the project, he hopes to encourage kids aged between seven and 16 to exercis e and learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
Miller will be joined by his rapper/actor son Romeo, who played basketb all for the University of Southern California, as well as professional ba ll players Johnson, Mark Jackson and Rashad McCants.
And the father and son team hope the free camp will put youngsters on t he path to a better future.
Miller tells AllHipHop.com, "This will be an experience that these kids will remember for the rest of their lives. My basketball coach helped sa ve my life, hopefully I can do the same for this generation." Romeo adds, "The purpose of the camp is to allow children to have the o pportunity to exercise their bodies and their minds=E2=80=A6 Just because you come from a low-income community it doesn=E2=80=99t mean you can=E2=80 =99t strive to be better.
"We are hoping that with our camps we can inspire these kids to have vi sion, follow their dreams and believe in themselves. They need to know th at education is essential and that they do have options."

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LADY GAGA was left red-faced on Wednesday (23Jun10) when she tripped over in her sky-high heels and fell to the ground upon her arrival at London’ s Heathrow Airport.
The Poker Face hitmaker wanted to make a grand entrance after flying in from New York, wearing leather chaps, a see-through mesh bra top and tow ering platform boots.
But the all-black ensemble couldn’t hide the singer’s embarrassment whe n she took a tumble and landed on the floor.
GaGa wasn’t down for long - she was helped back to her feet by an assis tant before she was led away.

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