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DAVID BOWIE’s moviemaker son DUNCAN JONES has revealed he turned down the chance to direct the new SUPERMAN film - because he didn’t feel he was ready to take charge of a blockbuster.
The Moon director took himself out of the running for the film after meeting with the franchise’s new mastermind, Christopher Nolan.
Jones tells CinemaBlend.com, "I think, maybe, I’m not quite ready for that scale of project and that scale of expectation from an audience that is already existing and is waiting to see the next generation of Superman film. It’s a hard one.
"Superman was so big that I think I was a little intimidated by it and sort of backed out." Fussy Jones also backed out of the chance to tackle comic book hero Judge Dredd on the big screen.
He adds, "I’m also a big Judge Dredd fan, which was another one that came my way… Judge Dredd, I really thought about and it ended up not being right for me because I had such strong feelings and opinions on what I wanted that film to be.
"Although I really like what they’re going to do with it, it’s not the film that I was going to make. So that one wasn’t going to work out." 300 and Watchmen director Zack Snyder is now onboard the Superman projects, while Pete Travis is reworking Judge Dredd with actor Karl Urban.

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OPRAH WINFREY has honoured her lost sister for not taking her remarkable story to the tabloids.
The TV titan introduces America to her half-sibling Patricia and her two children, Andre and Aquarius, during a taping of her show, set to air on Monday (24Jan11) - and tears up as she heaps praise on the family for not selling her out.
Winfrey desperately tries to maintain her TV cool as she tells viewers, "What is so remarkable to me about this story… (is) since I have been a person known in the public, there have been few times that I have been anywhere and not been sold out.
"There have been few times that you can bring anybody new into your life and not have that person in some way betray you or use you or take advantage of you.
"What is so extraordinary about Patricia and Andre and Aquarius is that they have known this secret since 2007." Patricia was given up for adoption by Winfrey’s mother, Vernita Lee, in 1963 when the star was nine years old.
Winfrey tells viewers she was living with her father in Nashville, Tennessee at the time and had no idea her mother was even pregnant.
Patricia, from Wisconsin, reportedly discovered her familial links to Oprah four years ago; Winfrey learned about her relative last November (10) and the pair met for the first time over the Thanksgiving holiday (Nov10).
Winfrey, Patricia and their mother were all reunited on the TV show.

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ALEC BALDWIN has been audited by New York tax officials amid suspicion he’s lying about his living arrangements to avoid paying sky-high city income tax, according to local reports.
The actor and New York Yankees baseball star Derek Jeter are among the hundreds of New Yorkers who have been confronted by auditors over residency rules, according to the New York Daily News.
The 30 Rock star, who films much of the series in the city, reportedly owns a pad in Los Angeles, a residence on Manhattan’s posh Central Park West and a house in New York suburb the Hamptons, which he claims as his home base.
Filers are expected to swear under oath on tax forms as to how many days they "spend in New York City". If the number is higher than 183 days, the filer must claim residence.
Representatives for Baldwin and New York tax officials have refused to discuss the case.
However, Baldwin recently alluded to tax woes during a speaking engagement at the Big Apple’s City College, telling the audience: "The moment you start working regularly (in the city), the city finance people come after you."

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CHER’s son CHAZ BONO wants to achieve a physique like FANTASTIC FOUR star MICHAEL CHIKLIS because he accepts he’ll never be "a little guy".
Bono, who was born a girl named Chastity, began the process of gender reassignment surgery in 2008 and his transition was completed last year (10), when he legally changed his gender and name with U.S. authorities.
His sex change journey was captured on camera for new documentary Becoming Chaz, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah on Sunday (23Jan11), and he reveals in the film that he’s aspiring to look like Chiklis, adding, "I’m never going to be a little guy." Addressing the audience after the Sundance screening, Bono, 41, admitted he struggled with his sexual identity a lot more than he battled with his fame as the child of Sonny Bono and Cher.
He said, "Definitely being born as a woman was a lot harder than being famous. You can figure out how to work that one, but if you’re a guy in a woman’s body you’re just screwed pretty much." Cher was not present for the film premiere, but Bono’s stepmother, U.S. politician Mary Bono, did attend the screening, according to Eonline.com’s Marc Malkin.

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RONNIE WOOD’s soon-to-be-ex-wife JO has been forced to dissolve her organic beauty company as part of their divorce settlement.
The couple split in 2008 when the Rolling Stones rocker left her for a young, Russian waitress, and their divorce is set to be finalised this week (beg24Jan11) with the issue of a decree absolute.
Jo has now revealed she had to close her Jo Wood Organics cosmetics firm as part of the complicated arrangements for the divorce settlement, but she hopes to relaunch the firm later this year (11).
She tells Britain’s Hello! magazine, "Luckily we didn’t owe much to the liquidators and I will be paying off the creditors personally. I’ll be relaunching Jo Wood Organics with a new business partner later this year."

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Veteran rapper FLAVOR FLAV is waging war on fast food giant KFC after opening his first fried chicken restaurant in Clinton, Iowa - right next door to a branch of the established chain.
The Public Enemy star launched Flav’s Fried Chicken in the city on Monday (24Jan11) and he’s already planning to expand the business and turn it into a U.S.-wide brand to compete with KFC and its animated spokesman, Colonel Sanders.
He says, "I always said to myself, ‘Colonel Sanders, you better watch out. Your boy Flavor Flav is coming and you better watch out." The hip-hop star acknowledges he’s stepping out of his comfort zone with the restaurant venture, admitting, "I ain’t gonna lie (sic): this is way out there." But he’s determined to make Flav’s Fried Chicken a success - and is even prepared to head into the kitchen and man the deep fryer himself.
And he’s confident food fans will be impressed with his secret recipe chicken: "The taste will blow up your taste buds. You’ll have fireworks in there."

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Dance star DAVID GUETTA has landed a superstar collaboration for his next project - rocker BONO wants him to produce some tracks for U2’s new album.
The French DJ/producer has already established himself as a top hitmaker after teaming up with the likes of Rihanna, the Black Eyed Peas and Akon, but it’s a planned venture with U2 that he’s "really excited" about after being approached by the frontman himself.
Guetta tells MTV, "We met with Bono, and I was really excited, really honoured because he proposed me to maybe produce some tracks for the next U2 album." And he insists he will have no problem adapting his music style to fit the Irish icons.
He adds, "I started a few ideas already… I’ve been more and more open to different styles of music, and obviously electronic music is still my main thing, but I just love music. If it’s good, it doesn’t matter what style.
"After those collaborations with all these urban artists, I thought it would be a real challenge for me to try to go in that (rock) direction."

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Rapper LIL WAYNE is heading back to the stage in March (11) for his first U.S. tour since serving time in prison last year (10).
The Lollipop hitmaker will launch the 25-date I Am Music II trek with a show in Buffalo, New York on 18 March (11), before hitting the stage in cities including Cleveland, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia.
And he is making his comeback tour an all-star affair - he will be supported by hip-hop sensation Nicki Minaj, rapper Rick Ross and rocker Travis Barker.
Wayne walked free from New York’s tough Rikers Island incarceration centre in November (10) after serving eight months for weapons possession.
He performed his first post-prison show with his protege Drake in Las Vegas, just two days after regaining his freedom (06Nov10).

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WHOOPI GOLDBERG is helping to produce a "provocative" new rock musical about a teenage singing group that performs songs with hidden messages promoting white supremacy.
The Sister Act star has joined co-producers Holly Way, Jay Strommen and Tom Leonardis to take White Noise to the stage in Chicago, Illinois.
The show was previously featured at the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival, and was a sold-out engagement at New Orleans, Louisiana’s Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre in 2009.
Broadway veteran Sergio Trujillo will direct and choreograph the production, which producers have described as "provocative". The cast has yet to be announced.
Goldberg, who has previously produced Broadway’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Thoroughly Modern Mille, says in a statement: "White Noise smacks you in a challenging, emotional and entertaining way.
"The producing team looks forward to bring this unflinchingly honest new production to Chicago where audiences are sophisticated, aware and open to a musical that will certainly remind them of today’s headlines and might awaken a new awareness of current social issues." Previews for White Noise will begin on 1 April (11) and will officially open at the city’s Royal George Theatre on 9 April (11) for an eight-week run.

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Embattled boxer FLOYD MAYWEATHER, JR.’s evidence hearing in a felony domestic violence case has been postponed until March (11).
The sportsman is facing charges of coercion, grand larceny and robbery, as well as domestic battery stemming from a violent altercation with his ex-girlfriend Josie Harris on 9 September (10).
The 33-year-old star made a brief appearance at Las Vegas Justice Court for a preliminary hearing on Monday (24Jan11).
His attorney, Karen Winckler, asked for a continuance of the case and Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa reset the date for 10 March (11).
Mayweather, Jr. faces up to 28 years behind bars if he’s convicted on all charges.

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THE UNTOUCHABLES star PAUL PICERNI has died, aged 88.
The character actor played Robert Stack’s FBI agent sidekick, Lee Hobson, on the beloved 1960s TV series.
Picerni died on 12 January (11) after suffering a heart attack at his home in Llano, California.
He also starred in Vincent Price horror movie House of Wax, which was the first 3D movie produced by a major studio.
On TV, he also appeared in Gunsmoke, Kojak and Perry Mason.

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PARIS HILTON’s infamous sex tape is at the centre of a new lawsuit as porn bosses battle to keep the film away from illegal downloaders.
The socialite hit headlines back in 2004 when a porn video called 1 Night in Paris surfaced on the internet.
The film, which features Hilton with her former boyfriend Rick Salomon, became a best-seller and now executives at the company which owns the copyright to the tape are suing online users who have been downloading the footage without paying.
Bosses at XPays Inc., who obtained the copyright from Salomon’s brother Jim, have filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court, targeting 843 users who are alleged to have illegally obtained the film between 2010 and 2011, according to TMZ.com.

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Actress JAIME PRESSLY has split from her husband, entertainment lawyer SIMRAN SINGH, according to a U.S. report.
The My Name Is Earl star wed Singh in Los Angeles in September, 2009 after just several months of dating, but the couple has now separated, according to PerezHilton.com.
A source tells the website, "It was very mutual and she’s very sad." The report is the latest bad news for the actress - earlier this month (Jan11) she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, while she has also been hit with three tax bills in less than a year, allegedly owing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) a total of $637,149 (£424,766).

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OPRAH WINFREY’s big secret is out - she has long lost sister.
The media mogul announced on Friday (21Jan11) she would start this week (beg24Jan11) by making a personal confession during The Oprah Winfrey Show.
On the programme, due to air in the U.S. on Monday afternoon (24Jan11), the TV mogul opens up about her family history and reveals she has a secret half-sister called Patricia, who was given up for adoption by Winfrey’s mother, Vernita Lee, in 1963 when the star was nine years old.
Winfrey says, "I was nine years old at the time of (Patricia’s adoption), living with my father in Nashville, Tennessee. I had no idea my mother was even pregnant…. For the most part, my life has been an open book and on the show I think I’ve seen about everything. And I thought nothing could surprise me anymore, but let me tell you I was wrong." Patricia, from Milwaukee, is said to have found out about her famous sibling in 2007, while Winfrey learned about her relative last November (10). The two met for the first time over the Thanksgiving holiday (Nov10), while Winfrey, Patricia and their mother were all reunited on the show.

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SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS is in talks to tackle the role of ALFRED HITCHCOCK in a new biopic about the legendary moviemaker, according to a U.S. report.
The Oscar-winning actor is said to have been approached to play the Master of Suspense in a movie based on Stephen Rebello’s book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, which tells the story of the director’s struggle to finance his 1960 horror classic.
British screenwriter/director Sacha Gervasi is in talks to step behind the camera to direct the story, while Black Swan writer John McLaughlin has taken charge of the script, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Hopkins was previously linked to a shelved Hitchcock project back in 2007.

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JAMES BLUNT has fuelled gossip he’s split from his long term girlfriend by refusing to answer questions about the rumoured break-up and insisting he’s not ready to settle down.
The British singer began dating Spanish model Sabina Vidal over the summer (10), and sparked reports of an impending proposal last year (10) by talking about his desire to get married and start a family.
But rumours emerged in December (10) suggesting the romance had fizzled out.
Blunt is refusing to confirm or deny the split reports and he’s remaining coy about his love life, only confessing he has ruled out marriage.
He tells Britain’s Hello! magazine, "Who knows (about the split stories). I’ll let the papers keep track of all that while I’m keeping my card close to my chest. I think that’s probably the best thing to do." Blunt adds, "I’m dependent on friendships, but marriage? I’ve seen a lot of marriages fail, so I’d hope not to get stuck in something like that…"

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ALICIA KEYS’ producer husband SWIZZ BEATZ has fallen victim to hackers who broke into his Twitter.com account and sent rude messages to his famous friends.
The music-maker’s page on the social networking website was hijacked on Sunday (23Jan11), and the prankster sent out a number of nasty posts about his current partner, his ex-wife Mashonda, and celebrity pal Kanye West.
Beatz quickly regained control of the page and deleted the messages, but insisted he wasn’t annoyed by the intrusion.
In a series of subsequent posts, he writes, "I’m back!!! Damn they got me real quick had to go H.A.M. (hard as a motherf**ker). Mr hacker was funny as hell. LMAO (Laughing my a** off)…
"Can’t ever take Twitter too serious anything can happen… S**t happens but stay positive at all times!"

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LINDSAY LOHAN’s father has dismissed allegations his daughter paid off the rehab worker who accused her of assault, revealing the actress’ lawyers attempted to negotiate "a deal" but the woman "got greedy".
Dawn Holland claimed Lohan lashed out at her last month (Dec10) at the Betty Ford Center in California, where the Mean Girls star was serving three-months of court-ordered treatment.
She was later fired for talking to the media, and took her complaint to the police, but subsequently dropped charges and insisted she no longer wanted to co-operate with the investigation.
A report published on TMZ.com suggested Holland had dropped her complaint in return for a financial settlement from the star, but Lohan’s father is adamant there was never a deal in place.
He tells Hollyscoop.com, "From the night of this occurrence, I have been aware of the entire situation. Dawn did assault Lindsay while demanding a urine (test) and took it to another level when Lindsay demanded the phone.
"Since then, Dawn has had her attorney meet with me, negotiate with me and even propose a ‘deal’ with me, her lawyer and Lindsay’s lawyer, Shawn Holly, and while I agreed to Dawn Holland’s initial number, to procure financial stability due to getting fired, she got greedy and took it to another level.
"With Dawn Holland’s record for abuse, her assault charges, her credibility and desire for money, I believe that the courts and public will see, that this is a woman, who motives and intentions (sic), to set Lindsay up, so she could have financial gain."

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