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Rocker BRET MICHAELS has filed suit against the producers behind the 2009 Tony Awards, blaming his onstage accident at the ceremony for causing his near-fatal brain haemorrhage.
The Poison frontman was performing at the New York prizegiving when a stage prop fell and hit him in the face, leaving him with a bloody and broken nose and a cut lip.
Michaels was back in hospital six months after the awards show with a brain haemorrhage and a mild stroke - and the singer is convinced the two incidents are related.
He lodged legal papers in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday (25Mar11), holding bosses at Tony Award Productions and TV network CBS responsible for his health crisis, reports TMZ.com.
The court papers state: "One of the most common causes of this type of haemorrhage is head trauma - exactly like the one Michaels suffered at the hands of the Tony Awards…
"Through his sheer will to live, to see his children grow up, (he) was able to survive this trauma." Michaels claims show producers should have instructed him on how to exit the stage safely. He adds they "failed and refused" to aid him after the Tony Awards accident, and even reportedly attempted to shift the blame onto the star himself, alleging he "missed his mark".
The rocker is suing for unspecified damages.

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U.S. soap star SUSAN LUCCI is celebrating a new addition to her family - her actress daughter LIZA HUBER has given birth to her third child.
Huber and her husband, Alexander Hesterberg III, welcomed baby girl Hayden Victoria in New York on Wednesday night (23Mar11).
Gushing about her new granddaughter, All My Children star Lucci tells InTouchWeekly.com, "Hayden is beautiful and curious. Victoria is our family name - both Liza and myself have the same middle name - and we are so happy that she is carrying on the tradition. We have never seen Liza look more beautiful." The newborn joins Huber and Hesterberg’s sons, Royce Alexander, four, and Brendan, two.

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Actress RENEE ZELLWEGER has made her split from BRADLEY COOPER official after moving her possessions out of his California home.
The couple started dating in 2009 and spent a lot of time holed up in The Hangover actor’s Pacific Palisades house.
They reportedly called off the romance earlier this month (Mar11) and Zellweger was spotted collecting her things from Cooper’s pad on Thursday (24Mar11), according to UsMagazine.com.
But the Bridget Jones’s Diary star appears to be taking the failed relationship in her stride.
A source tells the website, "She seems to be handling the break-up well. She had a big smile on her face and a skip in her step!"

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PRINCE HARRY will join a group of wounded British soldiers on a charity trek to the North Pole on Tuesday (29Mar11) after clearing space in his busy schedule.
The British royal, who served in Afghanistan as a member of Britain’s armed forces, voiced his hopes to take part in the expedition earlier this year (11) to raise money for Walking With The Wounded, an organisation which helps rehabilitate injured troops.
He recently learned he would not need to report for military training until next month (Apr11), allowing the Prince to tag along for the gruelling journey.
Harry will spend five days trekking in freezing temperatures with a number of servicemen who were wounded in Afghanistan - and he can’t wait to tackle the feat.
In a statement Prince Harry says, "What the Walking With The Wounded North Pole Team is undertaking is an enormous adventure of the most challenging order." The soldiers are expected to reach the landmark by 26 April (11) and hope to raise $3.2 million (£2 million) for charity through donations and sponsorships for the expedition.
The entire trek will take about four weeks, but the Prince will bow out early in order to honour his Army commitments and serve as the best man at his brother William’s upcoming nuptials to Kate Middleton on 29 April (11).
Prince Harry is patron of the Walking With the Wounded charity.

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Hollywood veteran WARREN BEATTY has maintained the rights to the DICK TRACY screen franchise after winning a summary judgement in his longrunning legal dispute.
The actor/director has been locked in a legal war with bosses at Tribune Media Services, a unit of bankrupt newspaper publisher Tribune, since 2006, when he was accused of "wrongly" claiming to have exclusive motion picture and TV rights to the police detective brand - despite purchasing the broadcast privileges in 1985.
But Tribune executives claimed the movie star had not made any "productive use" of the franchise, and therefore the rights should revert back to the media firm if he failed to begin work on a new Tracy project within two years.
Their assertion prompted Beatty to hit back with a countersuit to keep hold of the rights to the franchise.
In court papers, the movie star claimed he notified Tribune he had begun work on a TV special, a follow-up to his hit 1990 film, in early November 2008, just days before the media firm’s proposal expired.
The case went before U.S. District Court in California on Thursday (24Mar11), when Judge Dean D. Pregerson ruled in favour of Beatty.
In his decision, Judge Pregerson noted, "Beatty’s commencement of principal photography of his television special on November 8, 2008 was sufficient for him to retain the Dick Tracy rights."

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SNOOP DOGG has come under fire for promoting an alcoholic energy drink from campaigners who allege the brand will promote underage boozing.
The rapper is the face of Blast by Colt 45 and he has filmed a promotion video to boost the brand ahead of its launch in the U.S. next month (Apr11).
Activists have taken aim at the drink’s manufacturers, the Pabst Brewing Company, over the can’s colourful packaging and fruity flavours, which include grape and strawberry lemonade, alleging the beverage will appeal to underage drinkers.
And now they are targeting Snoop Dogg for his involvement with the drink, which boasts a 12 per cent alcohol content.
Hip-hop activist, Minister Paul Scott, tells AllHipHop, "It’s called Colt 45 Blast because they are trying to blast the minds of our young people. Snoop Dogg of all people you should know what alcohol has done to all oppressed communities… when you put a Colt 45 to your mouth (to drink), you are really putting a Colt 45 to your brain." New York City Councillor Robert Jackson has called for Blast to be banned in the Big Apple, and his aide Martin Collins is adamant Blast by Colt 45 will be harmful for youngsters: "In the short term, a drink like this masks and shrouds the effects of alcohol. That’s dangerous for our young people." Pabst representative Jon Sayer has hit back at the claims, telling Reuters, "Blast is only meant to be consumed by those above legal drinking age and does not contain caffeine."

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RUSSELL CROWE is urging fans to donate cash to help his fellow New Zealanders rebuild the city of Christchurch after a devastating earthquake hit the region last month (Feb11).
The Hollywood actor has filmed a video message for the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal asking for donations to help aid efforts in the stricken city.
In the clip, posted on YouTube.com, he says, "Christchurch needs its mates, whether they happen to be here in New Zealand, or across the ditch, or on the other side of the world. Your donation to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal, no matter how big or small, will help the city as it faces the challenges ahead." And the Gladiator star’s benevolence has impressed politicians in the country - a representative for Prime Minister John Key says, "We’re grateful to Mr Crowe for raising awareness in this way. All who have visited Christchurch will tell you the same thing - while there is incredible resilience and positivity everywhere, the task ahead of us to rebuild the city, and community, is huge. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal is a way people can make a real difference to people’s lives there." More than 160 people died in the 6.3-magnitude tremor, which hit the city on 22 February (11).

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LINDSAY LOHAN is set to drop her last name in an attempt to put her troubled past behind her, according to the actress’ mother.
The Mean Girls star is planning to relaunch herself as simply ‘Lindsay’ as she struggles to rebuild her career following a string of personal problems and stints in jail and rehab.
And in an apparent snub to Lindsay’s father Michael Lohan, her younger sister Ali and mother Dina are also planning to drop the family name and use Dina’s maiden moniker ‘Sullivan’ instead.
Dina tells PopEater.com, "Lindsay is dropping the Lohan and just going by Lindsay. Plus, me and Ali will be officially changing our last names back to my maiden name, Sullivan." Lindsay and her mother have been engaging in a public war of words with Michael Lohan since his divorce from Dina was finalised in 2007.

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British rockers RADIOHEAD are launching their own newspaper to mark the CD release of their new album THE KING OF LIMBS.
The Creep hitmakers launched their eighth studio record online in February (11) and the disc version is set to hit stores later this month (Mar11) - so they have created their own publication to celebrate.
The newspaper, titled The Universal Sigh, will be distributed for free around the world and will also boast its own website.
The band has yet to reveal the nature of the newspaper’s content, but a statement posted on the new site reads, "To commemorate this momentous occasion, Radiohead have produced a newspaper which will be given away, free, gratis, without cost to the consumer by accredited vendors from a multitude of locations worldwide!… Our dedicated teams of newspaper delivery people will be handing out copies of THE UNIVERSAL SIGH to anyone who wants one, until we run out!"

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Bosses at music giant MERCURY RECORDS are to stop producing singles on vinyl and CD, sparking fears the digital revolution is killing off traditional song releases.
Heads of the label, home to acts including Sir Paul McCartney, U2, Sir Elton John, and Justin Bieber, announced the unprecedented step on Thursday (24Mar11) following a startling drop in sales figures since 2006.
The slump is blamed on the easy availability of online downloads as more and more music fans switch to obtaining individual tracks from sites such as Amazon and iTunes.

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LADY GAGA has vowed to continue helping the victims of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami disasters after raising $1.5 million (£937,500) for relief efforts.
The Poker Face singer was quick to step in and provide aid by designing a special prayer wristband, which she sold to fans to boost funds.
Now the star has pledged to carry on her fundraising campaign after pulling in $1.5 million, reaching out to her fans in Japan in a touching video message.
She says, "Konichiwa, this is Lady Gaga. I just wanted to send all of my love and support on behalf of myself as well as monsters from around the world. We have been praying and thinking of you all week.
"I want you to know that you can always call on me for help and we have already been doing everything that we can to send relief to all of you.
"We’ve already raised $1.5 million dollars selling these fashion prayer bracelets that we’ve designed in the Haus Of Gaga. They say ‘We pray for Japan’ in both English and in Japanese. We want to raise even more money and send as much as we can over to help you. We will be praying. I love you and I’m praying for you." More than 10,000 people died earlier this month (Mar11) after Japan was hit by a massive 9.0-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami.

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British funk stars JAMIROQUAI have confirmed plans to press ahead with their European tour following the tragic death of a crew member at a gig venue in France on Thursday (24Mar11).
The band cancelled a show at Lyon’s Halle Tony Garnier Arena after the unnamed 26-year-old technician slipped as he constructed the group’s stage set and plunged 50 feet (15 metres) to his death.
The musicians released a statement voicing their sadness about the tragedy and called off the show as a mark of respect.
They have now confirmed they are heading to Germany to continue with their Rock Dust Light Star tour and press on with a planned show at the Olympiahalle in Munich on Saturday (26Mar11).
A message posted on the band’s Facebook page reads, "Things feel a little strange today but (we’re) gonna focus 100 per cent on the next show at Olympiahalle. Thanks to everyone - you’re amazing!"

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MOTLEY CRUE star VINCE NEIL landed in trouble with the law again on Thursday (24Mar11) when a battery report was filed against him following an alleged brawl in Las Vegas.
The rocker allegedly became embroiled in an altercation with his ex-girlfriend and one of her friends at a Hal Sparks concert at the Las Vegas Hilton.
According to TMZ.com, security guards at the hotel called cops to the scene to break up the alleged fight and the unidentified ex-girlfriend subsequently filed a battery report. Neil was not arrested.
The news comes just one month after Neil was released from the Clark County Detention Center in Nevada, where he served 10 days behind bars for a DUI charge.

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JULIE WALTERS saw off competition from DAME MAGGIE SMITH and HELENA BONHAM CARTER to take the Best Actress prize at Britain’s Broadcasting Press Guild Awards on Friday (25Mar11).
The Mamma Mia! star was handed the trophy for her role as Northern Ireland politician Mo Mowlam in TV biopic Mo, which aired in the U.K. last year (10).
The awards - which are voted for by British journalists - also feted Julian Fellowes’ hit TV series Downton Abbey, which was named Best Drama, while Benedict Cumberbatch was voted Best Actor for Sherlock.
The trophies were presented in a ceremony at London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on Friday (25Mar11).

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THE ORIGINAL KINGS OF COMEDY star D.L. HUGHLEY is facing financial woe after receiving a demand for allegedly unpaid taxes.
The stand-up comedian and actor has been hit with a demand from Internal Revenue Service (IRS) authorities for $752,000 (£476,000), according to the Detroit News.
The lien was filed against Hughley and his wife LaDonna at the Los Angeles County Recorder of Deeds on 31 January (11).

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JOSH DUHAMEL has spoken out to dismiss speculation his wife FERGIE has undergone cosmetic surgery, insisting the singer’s new look is down to a different lipstick shade.
The Black Eyed Peas star and her bandmates performed on U.S. TV show American Idol last week (ends20Mar11), and Fergie’s fresh-faced appearance sparked rumours she has gone under the knife.
But Duhamel is adamant his wife’s glow is all natural and he credits a new pink lip colour with transforming her look.
He tells Ryan Seacrest, "I thought she looked amazing (on American Idol). It’s amazing. You put a different colour on your lips and, uh, rumours fly. But she’s the same, she’s the same Fergie… I sleep right next to her every night. I like it."

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DAME ELIZABETH TAYLOR has reportedly left the bulk of her $600 million (£375 million) fortune to AIDS charities.
The Hollywood veteran passed away on Wednesday (23Mar11) after losing her long battle with congestive heart disease, sending the showbusiness world into mourning.
Frequently praised for her role as an AIDS/HIV activist, the star has continued her good work by leaving a large portion of her wealth to her beloved charities, reports The New York Post.
According to Fox News, Taylor’s famous jewellery collection will be auctioned off to benefit The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and amfAR, the AIDS charity she founded in 1985.
As of 2002, the collection had an estimated value of $150 million (£93.7 million).

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ROBERT PATTINSON wants to send his TWILIGHT contact lenses into space after he wraps the vampire movie franchise - because he hates them.
As romantic bloodsucker Edward Cullen, the Brit has been putting the uncomfortable coloured lenses in his eyes for years - and Pattinson admits he literally has to be held down while make-up artists put them in.
He says, "Everyone else has figured out how to do it, and then there’s two people holding me down because I can’t do it myself… It’s so embarrassing for me - after so many years, it’s still a process every single morning." And he tells Entertainment Weekly magazine, "I actually want to get some kind of plastic explosive… I want to kill them."

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