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THE FACTS OF LIFE star GERI JEWELL has ‘come out’ as a lesbian.
The actress, best known for playing Geri Tyler in the 1980s sitcom, opens up about her sexuality in her candid autobiography, I’m Walking As Straight As I Can.
The title of the memoir also refers to Jewell’s struggle with cerebral palsy - she made history as the first person with a serious disability to play a recurring role on TV.
The book, set to be released in April (11), also chronicles her stand-up comedy career, tax problems and substance abuse demons.

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COLIN FIRTH is not a fan of Britain’s royal family, because he has "a problem" with "unelected bodies".
The actor is nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of stuttering King George VI in acclaimed royal drama The King’s Speech, while he also won a Golden Globe award for the role earlier this month (Jan11).
Firth recently admitted he had little knowledge of the story of the troubled monarch before taking on the job, as he is "not a royal watcher" - and now he concedes the concept of the royal family makes him uncomfortable.
During in an interview on Piers Morgan Tonight, which is due to air in the U.S. on Friday (28Jan11) night, he jokes, "I think they seem very nice… I really like voting. It’s one of my favourite things." And when Morgan asks, "So, an unelected institution isn’t really your cup of tea?" Firth replies, "It’s a problem for me, yeah… unelected bodies."

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American comedian CHARLIE CALLAS has died at the age of 86.
The veteran funnyman, who worked with Mel Brooks, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, passed away on Thursday (27Jan11) at a care centre in Las Vegas, according to Lvrj.com. No further details were available as WENN went to press.
Callas served in the U.S. army during World War II and later worked as a drummer before turning to stand-up comedy.
He became well-known for his TV appearances, including regular slots on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, before he was eventually banned by the host for shoving him in an attempt to generate laughs.
Callas famously voiced dragon Elliot in 1977 Disney film Pete’s Dragon and and starred in Robert Wagner’s 1970s detective TV show Switch. He also regularly opened for Frank Sinatra at the singer’s Las Vegas shows.
He was married to Eve Velac and they were parents to two children.

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The new owner of ZSA ZSA GABOR’s Los Angeles home will have to accept a crucial condition before closing a deal on the palatial pad - the ailing actress will stay there as long as she lives.
Gabor’s husband Frederic Prinz von Anhalt put the Bel Air mansion up for sale last week (ends23Jan11) for a staggering $28 million (£18.7 million) - after Gabor, 93, had part of her right leg amputated to prevent the spread of gangrene.
Von Anhalt told the press the decision to sell the house was necessary to pay for the actress’ spiralling medical bills, saying, "The upkeep alone per month on the house is $35,000. It gives me a big headache, and I cannot afford to keep paying it." He opened the doors of the couple’s home to U.S. TV breakfast programme Good Morning America on Friday (28Jan11), and revealed his ailing wife will remain living there as she recovers from surgery; and potential buyers must accept this as a non-negotiable condition.
Von Anhalt said: "She will stay here in the house as long as she lives."

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Actress ALI LARTER almost didn’t make it to the hospital in time for the birth of her first child last month (Dec10) after mudslides closed off her neighbourhood in Los Angeles.
The Heroes star recently gave birth to little Theodore Hayes MacArthur, her first child with her husband, writer/actor Hayes MacArthur.
She has now shown off her son in the new issue of Us Weekly magazine - but admits mudslides caused by heavy rain in California nearly stopped her reaching the hospital when she went into labour.
Larter says, "During the L.A. mudslides, our street was closed. Four hours after the fireman opened it, I was in labour!"

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HEATH LEDGER’s parents spoke of their pride as a theatre was opened in the tragic actor’s honour on Wednesday (26Jan11).
Officials at the State Theatre Centre have opened the doors to a new 575-seat auditorium called the Heath Ledger Theatre in Perth, Australia - the Brokeback Mountain star’s hometown.
And Ledger’s relatives are convinced he would have loved the building.
His dad Kim tells the AAP, "I think Heath would have thought it was magnificent. I have said this before, and we all agree, that he must have been a bird on the shoulder of the architect." Ledger’s mum Sally says, "(It’s a) very mixed emotional time for us but ultimately, we’re very, very proud", while his sister Kate adds, "It’s reflective of the way he was as a person. The theatre is eerily reflective." The actor died in January, 2008 after suffering an accidental drug overdose.

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JULIANNE MOORE was left red-faced as her career was ‘roasted’ mercilessly when she was named Woman of The Year by Harvard University students on Thursday (27Jan11).
The Far From Heaven star was brought on stage and made to dance with a flamboyant all-male cast in drag, before accepting her Hasty Pudding prize at the wacky annual event.
The amateur drama club stars made fun of the Boston, Massachusetts accent Moore used during an appearance on TV show 30 Rock, and forced her to ’silence’ a lamb, played by a fraternity member, by reading from her children’s book, Freckleface Strawberry.
But Moore didn’t shy away from more serious subjects - at a press conference following the revue, she discussed her disappointment about not receiving an Academy Award nomination for The Kids Are All Right.
When asked if she got snubbed, Moore said, "Honestly, yes. I’m so happy for everybody… I just feel bad for myself. I’m not over it yet, but I will be." The actress also lamented filmmaker Lisa Cholodenko’s omission from the Best Director category, adding: "That was Lisa’s baby. It was completely and utterly her vision. And it’s like, what, did the movie direct itself?" TV personality Jay Leno is set to receive the Hasty Pudding Man of The Year honour next month (Feb11).

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A judge is giving NAOMI CAMPBELL a chance to defend herself in court over allegations she lied under oath as part of an ongoing lawsuit.
The British supermodel is currently locked in a legal dispute with her former agent, Carole White, and executives at cosmetics marketing company Moodform Mission, who are suing her for allegedly backing out of a fragrance deal with the firm and failing to meet obligations to promote the range.
A lawyer representing Moodform filed papers late last year (10) asking for the Manhattan District Attorney in New York to consider prosecuting Campbell for perjury after she allegedly lied under oath in her affidavit. The star strenuously denied the claims.
White has also offered up a recording of a 2006 meeting about the deal, which she claims supports the allegation that Campbell lied.
The case went back to court in New York on Thursday (27Jan11) and Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Judith Gische called the accusations "serious," according to the New York Post.
The publication reports the judge has given Campbell and her legal team the chance to respond to the allegations in court before she decides whether to refer the case to the district attorney.
Campbell is counter-suing White, claiming she signed the fragrance deal without knowing the full details and accusing the agent of concealing her role as a co-director at Moodform.

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CHARLIE SHEEN is in stable condition and is undergoing treatment for a hernia following his hospitalisation on Thursday (27Jan11), according to his representative.
The troubled actor was taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital’s emergency room in Los Angeles after complaining of abdominal pain, caused by a hiatal hernia.
The actor’s publicist, Stan Rosenfield, has confirmed the Wall Street star is being treated for the condition, which occurs when the stomach pushes up through the diaphragm.
Rosenfield tells CNN.com, "Charlie has had a hernia condition for some time. I was told by the person who made the 911 call that it was hernia-related." Reports suggest Sheen had been partying at home before he was taken ill. His sitcom Two and a Half Men has been on hiatus this week (begs24Jan11) and is due to resume production on Monday (31Jan11).
The 45 year old has suffered a number of health problems in recent months - he was hospitalised for an "adverse allergic reaction" to medication in October (10) and treated for an ear infection earlier this month (Jan11).

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Irish singer DAMIEN RICE gained a famous fan after he was romantically linked to KATE HUDSON in the press - the actress immediately bought his records to find out who she was rumoured to be dating.
Hudson was baffled to read reports she was in a relationship with Rice in 2006 because she had never heard of the star - so she decided to listen to his albums.
And the 31 year old was immediately hooked on his soulful folk music.
The actress tells Britain’s The Times, "I didn’t know who he was, so when I heard that I was smooching him I looked him up online and now I love his music." Hudson is currently dating Muse star Matt Bellamy and they are expecting their first baby together this summer (11).

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ALICIA KEYS refused to let the wintry weather conditions in New York City stop her celebrating her 30th birthday - stars including JAY-Z and BEYONCE braved a blizzard to attend her party.
The singer turned 30 years old on Tuesday (25Jan11) and she marked the milestone with a bash, organised by her husband Swizz Beatz, at the Casa La Femme restaurant in Manhattan on Wednesday night (26Jan11).
The Egyptian-themed event was threatened by the bad weather as more than 19 inches (48 centimetres) of snow fell on the city, but the couple refused to cancel the party and Keys’ famous guests braved the icy conditions to attend.
The singer was reportedly several hours late as she struggled through the snow and when she left the bash in the early hours of the morning, restaurant staff helped dig her car out from a drift, according to New York Post gossip column Page Six.

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EVA LONGORIA, SETH GREEN and rocker BRET MICHAELS are among the stars who are taking part in an online auction to benefit soldiers.
Moviemaker Eli Roth, socialite Kim Kardashian and Harry Potter actor Tom Felton are also supporting the Twitter.com campaign to raise funds for Operation Once in a Lifetime, which provides financial and moral support to U.S. troops, veterans and their families.
The ‘Twitchange’ auction begins on Saturday (29Jan11), and Michaels, who underwent an operation to repair a hole in his heart earlier this week (begs24Jan11), has urged his fans to support the cause.
A post on his page on the microblogging site reads, "Bid on Bret Michaels in http://www.twitchange.com/ starting this Sat, Jan. 29th! Operation Once in a Lifetime to benefit soldiers & families."

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GRACE JONES agreed to sign up for a guest slot on SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS’s latest album after a bizarre meeting which almost resulted in the pair getting arrested.
The debut record from Combs’ band, Diddy-Dirty Money, features a number of collaborations with stars including Jones, Usher, Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake.
The rapper reveals the track with Jones, which appears on Last Train to Paris, came about after a rowdy party in Brazil - which could have ended with the pair in jail.
He tells Britain’s The Sun, "We met Grace Jones in Brazil at a performance at Fashion Rocks for Donatella Versace. I nearly got arrested for using my cellphone and security were getting tough.
"Grace was behind us so I said, ‘I guess we (are) all going to jail together then.’ But instead she ended up befriending us and wanted to do this record." And Combs is particularly proud of the track Jones features on, Yeah Yeah You Would.
He adds, "Grace doesn’t do collaborations. It isn’t typical and that’s what makes me love the guests we have more. It isn’t a forced situation where it seems crowded, it feels like a family album."

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Hip-hop mogul JERMAINE DUPRI has launched his own social-networking website.
The Grammy-winning producer has created Global14.com, an online forum which allows fans to interact and also features music news, a blog and fashion advice.
Dupri reveals he became fascinated with the web back in 2006 when he launched an online contest to help promote his ex-girlfriend Janet Jackson’s album 20 Y.O., and the experience inspired him to launch his own internet project.
He tells Allhiphop.com, "I created a contest for Janet’s album where I went to the internet and asked fans to create an album cover for her. That was the beginning of me engaging people on the internet. It was overwhelming and it was the most records she ever sold in her first week. That let me know the people wanted to be involved." Dupri is convinced his site is the "coolest, hippest city" on the internet and he hopes it will feel more personal than other social-networking projects like Facebook.com, adding "People want to have a place where they feel like it’s a cool place and cool spot to be out as well as have conversation and really talk to each other… None of those (other websites) have an owner that you actually know and feel like you have something in common. People only know the Facebook owner (Mark Zuckerberg) now because of his money. You wouldn’t have hung out with him before you knew what he did. I have an influence on producers, songwriters, artists and creative people in general."

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ALICE COOPER is urging LED ZEPPELIN frontman ROBERT PLANT to reconsider his decision to walk away from a potential reunion of the legendary band.
The iconic rock group split in 1980 following the death of drummer John Bonham, but reunited for a one-off show in London in 2007 with the percussionist’s son Jason filling in for his late father.
The reunion sparked calls for a comeback, but even though Plant’s bandmates were all behind the idea, the singer refused to take part.
He recently explained the snub, insisting he is too old to play rock songs and wants to concentrate on his other musical projects, such as his Grammy-winning collaboration with Alison Krauss and his Band of Joy folk band.
But Cooper is adamant Plant should return to his rock and roll roots - and he’s urging the singer to change his mind.
He tells the Palm Springs Boxing Examiner, "They are just standing there. What is so hard? Jimmy Page wants to do it. John Paul Jones wants to do it. And they got Bonham’s son, who is a killer drummer. All they need is Robert Plant. But what is Robert Plant out there doing? Playing folk music! What is he doing?"

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Australian actress SOPHIE MONK regrets her decision to go under the knife for cosmetic surgery - insisting she "should have said no".
The 31 year old has reportedly undergone a breast enlargement operation, as well as Botox and collagen injections, while she also dated a cosmetic surgeon last year (10).
Monk now admits she wishes she hadn’t changed her body as she pursued an acting career in Hollywood.
She tells Who magazine, "I should have said no, but I trusted the doctor." The Click star has also vowed to take better care of herself after years of unhealthy diets, adding, "The stress of this business tends to come out through my body. Either I eat too much or I eat nothing. I need to be more responsible for my body."

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TV bosses have issued an apology after TRACY MORGAN made a lewd remark about former vice presidential candidate SARAH PALIN on live TV.
The 30 Rock star stunned viewers with the comment about the former Alaskan governor during his appearance on the Inside The NBA broadcast on Thursday (27Jan11).
Host Charles Barkley asked the funnyman, "Sarah Palin’s good looking, isn’t she?" prompting Morgan to reply, "Now let me tell you something about Sarah Palin man, she’s good masturbation material. The glasses and all that? Great masturbation material." Turner Network Television officials were flooded with complaints and have now apologised for any offence Morgan may have caused.
A spokesperson says in a statement, "It’s unfortunate Mr. Morgan showed a lack of judgment on our air with his inappropriate comments."

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Moviemaking duo JOEL and ETHAN COEN are still coming to terms with their career success, insisting they find life on the Hollywood A-list "frightening" and "disconcerting".
The Coen Brothers are currently riding high after their latest movie True Grit was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Director and the coveted Best Picture prize.
But, despite scooping four Oscars for No Country For Old Men in 2007, the siblings still don’t feel comfortable on the glitzy party circuit.
Ethan Coen explains, "We are like Hollywood insiders now. It’s really weird… And Matt Damon is your best buddy. Which is nice. He’s a nice guy. But it’s also weird… Suddenly this great hand reaches down and deposits you at the Academy Awards. It’s frightening. And disconcerting. You wonder what you did wrong." His brother Joel adds, "At a certain level what you do doesn’t feel any different from when you were messing just around in your backyard with a movie camera. It’s still just messing around… One day you wake up and you realise that’s happened and it’s a shock. You find yourself at the Academy Awards, or wherever the hell it is, and suddenly you know all these people. And you think: ‘How the f**k did I get here?’"

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