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A top Australian politician has stepped in to save DOLLY PARTON’s upcoming shows Down Under, after officials ruled the country star’s tour buses were unfit for the country’s roads.
The singer is scheduled to play a string of gigs in November (11), but transport chiefs discovered that Parton’s vehicles were too large for Aussie highways, and subsequently banned their use.
The ruling prompted the star’s management team to threaten to cancel her tour, according to local promoter Matthew Lazarus-Hall.
He claims, "The message was kind of, ‘No bus - no tour.’" Lazarus-Hall reached out to Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, and the politician has now ruled that Parton’s convoy will be allowed to travel.
Albanese tells The Courier-Mail, "This was a practical example of what happens when you have different sets of rules across eight states and territories.
"Rules are there for a reason. But common sense tells you Dolly Parton touring here is good for her fans and the economy." Parton has vowed to give the minister "a huge cuddle" for approving her tour plans.

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Former PUSSYCAT DOLLS star CARMIT BACHAR is a first-time mum after giving birth to a baby girl.
The singer/dancer and her fiance Kevin Whitaker became proud parents to Keala Rose on 18 September (11).
In a series of posts on her Twitter.com page, she writes, "The journey was long but our precious baby girl has arrived. My fiance Kevin Whitaker & I would love to introduce ‘Keala Rose’ born 9/18/11.
"Thank you all for the beautiful messages & support. This was an incredible experience & new chapter in life. Keala means ‘the path’ in Hawaiin.
"The blessings r overwhelming! Luv 2u all! Motherhood is challenging & indescribably beautiful! Pronounced KAY-ALA 7lbs15.2oz our light angel."

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Actor TAYE DIGGS has joined the ranks of the celebrity children’s book authors.
The Best Man star chronicles one boy’s struggle to fit in with those around him because of his race in new book Chocolate Me!, and the black actor hopes the story will help his own two-year-old son, Warner, when he begins school.
He says,“You should be proud and embrace your differences regardless if race or religion or if something is looked upon as a handicap." And the star admits the project was inspired from his own personal hardships.
He adds, "The book is about a time in my life when I lived in a neighbourhood where no one looked like me and (it) resulted in me getting made fun of… My mother then sat with me and convinced me to embrace my differences and that I should love the qualities and features I have regardless of what others thought."

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Veteran actor ROBERT LOGGIA has urged movie bosses to abandon a planned big screen re-imagining of cult classic SCARFACE.
Reports emerged last week (ends25Sep11) that the crime drama is set to be remade for a new generation of movie fans. The 1983 film, which starred Al Pacino as Cuban gangster Tony Montana, was itself an adaptation of Howard Hawks’ 1932 picture of the same name, starring Paul Muni as an Italian who takes over the city of Chicago, Illinois.
But Loggia, who played drug lord Frank Lopez in the 1980s adaptation, wants executives at Universal Pictures to scrap their plans for an updated version of Scarface, with a new lead character and location.
He tells TMZ.com, "Scarface is a classic that should rest in peace!"

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KIRK DOUGLAS heaped praise on his wife Anne as they were honoured for their charity work at a glitzy gala last week (ends25Sep11).
The Douglases are longstanding supporters of the Los Angeles Mission, and founded the organisation’s Anne Douglas Center, which offers training for unemployed homeless women keen to find work.
In recognition of their tireless philanthropy, the couple were guests of honour at the Four Seasons Hotel in L.A. on Wednesday (21Sep11), where they were handed the inaugural Anne Douglas Center for Women Award by bosses of the charity.
And the veteran actor ensured his beloved wife had her moment in the spotlight.
He beamed, "I am proud of my wife for many things, her work with the Anne Douglas Center for Women is just one of them. When we got married, 57 years ago, Anne was determined to do something for her new country. She has never stopped." Herb Smith, President of the Los Angeles Mission, adds, "It was a pleasure to be able to share this night with our friends Kirk and Anne. They are not only friends of the Mission, but also to the thousands of homeless individuals they have helped through their generous contributions to the Los Angeles Mission."

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Rock icons R.E.M. have split after 31 years together.
Frontman Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills announced the news on the band’s website on Wednesday (21Sep11).
Their statement reads: "To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." Singer Stipe reveals the decision to break up was amicable - but it was not easy.
He says, "A wise man once said - ‘the skill in attending a party is knowing when it’s time to leave.’ We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we’re going to walk away from it.
"I hope our fans realise this wasn’t an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way.
"We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It’s been amazing." The group was formed in 1980 with drummer Bill Berry, who quit in 1997, and they achieved critical and commercial success with hits such as The One I Love, Stand, Losing My Religion and Man on the Moon.
The group released 15 albums throughout their career and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
R.E.M.’s final album, Collapse Into Now, was released in March (11).

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BRAD PITT and JONAH HILL fought an all-out prank war on the set of their new movie MONEYBALL, vandalising each other’s golf carts.
The Superbad star and Pitt became pals while making the baseball movie together last year (10), and Hill confesses the two spent much of their time playing practical jokes on one another.
During an appearance on U.S. programme The Late Show With David Letterman on Tuesday (20Sep11), Hill recalled, "We had these golf carts… We would drive these golf carts all around and smash into each other and it was really fun and stupid… I got my own golf cart, just for me… and he would mess with it.
"I would walk outside and there would be no wheels on it; it would be on cinder blocks. And then one day I’d come out… and it would be on its head, be completely upside down.
"So his assistant came up to me and was like, ‘You got to get Brad back, you’re looking like a wuss right now’… So I had my friend, that’s an artist, make this funny thing (sign) to put on his golf cart." Hill then proudly displayed a photo of the graphic to the audience - a sign featuring a hunky Pitt and the words ‘Super Hot Guy On Board’.
Hill continued, "Then he shrink wrapped my golf cart bright pink… (And then) he starts messing with my actual car. So I’m driving home and a friend of mine is driving behind me, just by chance. And he goes, ‘Jonah you should pull over.’ And I go, ‘Why?’ And he goes, ‘There is a bright, neon-pink fake male genitalia hanging from the back of your car.’ And so I have to go under the car, I got grease all over me, and I’m untying it. And I get an email from Brad that says, ‘How was the ride home?’ "And so what I did was, I thought I’d vandalise his car a little bit for his ride home. So I wrote this on his car (showing a photo), it says ‘Brad Pitt’ with an arrow pointing up to the windows. So while he’s driving home… people will notice (it’s him)… So what he did was… he had it (my golf cart) rigged by little Brad Pitt elves while we were doing a scene, and he has it rigged so every time I turn (it) on… it blasts (Wham! song) Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, full-volume, on loop, that can never be turned off."

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DR. CONRAD MURRAY’s lawyers want to show footage of MICHAEL JACKSON at his concert press conference in London at the medic’s involuntary manslaughter trial to support allegations the singer was showing signs of frailty months before his death in 2009.
The King of Pop initially planned to play just 10 dates as part of his This Is It tour in the British capital, before it was boosted to a whopping 50 gigs to meet popular demand.
In a legal motion filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday (20Sep11), attorneys for Murray claim the superstar was ill when he met reporters at a press conference to announce the shows, three months before he died from a drug overdose.
The documents state: "At the press conference, Mr. Jackson informs the crowd that these 10 shows will be his ‘final show performances’ and that this was the ‘final curtain call’. Mr. Jackson reiterates to the crowd that, ‘When I say this is it, it really means this is it.’" Murray’s defence team goes on to allege that Jackson became stressed out after being forced to sign up for more shows against his will, and even expressed his anger to his make-up artist, Karen Faye: "Mr. Jackson told Ms. Faye, ‘It wasn’t supposed to be this way. This is not what it was supposed to be. Why can’t I choose?’" Murray’s lawyers claim Jackson struggled with insomnia for months and was seriously considering scrapping the shows altogether if he failed to get enough rest.
The doctor stands accused of administering the anaesthetic that killed Jackson in 2009. He has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
The trial is due to begin later this month (Sep11).

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RICHARD GERE will be the guest of honour at the 2011 International Rome Film Festival, where he will be honoured for his career achievements.
The Pretty Woman star is set to receive the Marcus Aurelius Award at the annual Italian event, where celebrations will include a screening of his 1978 movie Days of Heaven and a discussion with Gere about his work on the film and the early days of his career.
The International Rome Film Festival will run from 27 October to 4 November (11).

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WILL SMITH went back in time to make sure his wife JADA PINKETT SMITH had a 40th birthday to remember - by putting together a special video tribute tracing her family roots.
The I Am Legend actor organised a small bash on Saturday (17Sep11) to celebrate Jada’s age milestone and he had a touching treat in store for the birthday girl and party guests - an hour-long film featuring photos from the star’s childhood, as well as anecdotes from her old pals in Baltimore, Maryland.
An insider tells Us Weekly magazine, "It (the party) was just for close friends and immediate family.
"Will treated (the video) like a Hollywood production and had the best people work on it for months. Jada was shocked!" Jada actually turned 40 on Sunday (18Sep11).

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DAME HELEN MIRREN struggled to memorise her lines for the big screen adaptation of SHAKESPEARE’s THE TEMPEST and took two months tackling the "hardest" task of her career.
The veteran British actress tackled the traditionally male role of Prospero in the 2010 movie, but quickly realised she had taken on a mammoth challenge when it came to remembering the words.
The Queen star admits that despite her extensive stage work in classical productions, sifting her way through the script was a struggle.
She tells The Huffington Post, "Learning The Tempest was the hardest thing. I knew I had to learn the whole thing before I shot any film, so I learned the whole play. It took me about two months of solid learning every day. You just sit down and do it.
"It’s time consuming, you just go over it and over it and over it. Eight-year-old children learn the Quran by heart. The human brain has the capability of doing it. It’s just a matter of knuckling down and doing it."

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Superstars JENNIFER LOPEZ, DENZEL WASHINGTON and NE-YO have teamed up to front a new campaign for youth mentor programme Boys & Girls Club Of America.
Singer/actress Lopez, American Gangster star Washington and So Sick hitmaker Ne-Yo were all members of the organisation during their youth, and now they’re helping to launch a public service advertising campaign for the group, called Great Futures Start Here.
The project is very near and dear to Washington’s heart - he joined the club when he was just six years old and he’s certain the guidance of the programme’s mentors helped put him on the right path in life.
He says, "I am a prime example of the need for a community-based safe haven like Boys & Girls Clubs. Without the support and mentoring of the Club, I’m afraid to think where I would be today. I certainly would not have the life I do now." The new ad will be directed by Ron Howard and it will feature a number of other notable Boys & Girls Clubs success stories, including Smokey Robinson, Ashanti, Cuba Gooding Jr., Martin Sheen, and sports stars Shaquille O’Neal and Shaun White.
Superstar Beyonce is also getting in on the action - she’ll be supplying the vocals for the campaign with her new song I Was Here, which was written by Diane Warren.
Howard says, "We wanted the most powerful piece of music possible, to underscore the dramatic message that what we do today to shape the future of our children is vitally important. We could not have picked a more moving track. Diane’s words and Beyonce’s delivery are over the top."

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Singer NICOLE SCHERZINGER is still upset over the decision to scrap her first solo album, as she had recorded more than 300 songs and put her "heart and soul" into the project.
The pop star began work on Her Name Is Nicole in 2006 while she was still a member of the Pussycat Dolls, but the record was eventually shelved so she could dedicate her time fully to the girl group.
Scherzinger was finally able to release a solo album, Killer Love, this year (11), but admits she is still reeling from having to abandon her debut work.
She tells the Hollywood Reporter, "It was my decision. I felt like the fans didn’t want it out yet. I think they wanted another Pussycat Dolls album and I couldn’t force it… I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of disappointed it didn’t come out… I must have recorded 300 songs. I kind of went insane there for a while. I was a studio rat. But I had to walk away from it When you put so much work, time and heart and soul and it’s not always the radio hit, it’s a disappointment. The work will speak for itself and everything in the right time."

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Rapper BIG BOI felt compelled to take his online campaign to halt the execution of TROY DAVIS to the streets of Georgia after the embattled Death Row prisoner reached out to his old pal for help.
Davis was convicted in 1991 of fatally shooting off-duty police officer Mark MacPhail in 1989, even though prosecutors failed to find a murder weapon or any physical evidence linking him to the crime.
He has maintained his innocence throughout his 20-year sentence and even offered to take a lie-detector test to prove his case, but two last-minute appeals for clemency, filed with officials this week (begs19Sep11), have been rejected and Davis will be killed by lethal injection on Wednesday night (21Sep11).
The Outkast star has been calling on fans and fellow human rights activists to join him in a march outside government offices in Jackson, Georgia to protest the death sentence and he reveals the case is personal for him - because his family has known Davis for years.
Big Boi tells GlobalGrind.com, "Troy Davis is from my hometown and… he reached out to me, like, last week. I was already trying to bring awareness to the case via my Twitter and he didn’t even know it, and people at Amnesty International called me and told me that Troy wanted me to speak on his behalf to get the young people involved." "He went to high school with my auntie actually, he said he met me when I was eight years old but I don’t remember that. My point though, is that guilty or innocent, there is just too much doubt. That is the basis of the whole trial… so to just put a man to death is just unjust." And the hip-hop star is hopeful that his efforts will help to save Davis’ life.
He says, "We are just going to show support for him. We are trying to let our voices be heard… Everything is possible with God… But, if you are in a position that I am, in the position to reach millions of people, I feel like it is necessary to use that voice not only to entertain but also to educate and just really bring awareness to this. Whether it goes through or not, we know we tried and we gave it a good try to push in his favour." Other stars who have voiced their support for Davis include Mia Farrow, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, singer John Legend and socialite Kim Kardashian.
Meanwhile, civil rights activists Reverend Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton were reportedly among those protesting outside the prison where David is awaiting his death sentence.

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TONY BENNETT has apologised for suggesting the American government "caused" the 9/11 terrorist attacks by sparking violence in the Middle East.
The singer suggested America only had itself to blame for the atrocities, which began when hijackers flew two planes into the World Trade Center in New York, during an interview with Howard Stern on Monday (19Sep11).
The World War II veteran said, "Who are the terrorists? Are we the terrorists, or are they the terrorists? Two wrongs don’t make a right. They flew the plane in, but we caused it. We were bombing them, and they told us to stop." Candid Bennett then told the shock jock that the subsequent war in Iraq was "a tremendous mistake internationally", adding former President George W. Bush admitted he had made a mistake during a meeting with the singer in 2005.
Bush’s spokesman Freddy Ford has since dismissed Bennett’s comments, stating, "President Bush has always felt, and consistently expressed, that America is safer without (former Iraqi leader) Saddam Hussein in power. He has never said the decision to liberate Iraq was a mistake to Mr. Bennett or to anyone." Bennett, 85, clarified his remarks on Tuesday (20Sep11), stating, "There is simply no excuse for terrorism and the murder of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks on our country. My experiences - ranging from the Battle of the Bulge to marching with Martin Luther King - made me a lifelong humanist and pacifist, and reinforced my belief that violence begets violence and that war is the lowest form of human behaviour.
"I am sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an expression of my love for my country, my hope for humanity and my desire for peace throughout the world." Bennett made sure fans were clear about his sentiment during an appearance on U.S. chat show The View on Wednesday (21Sep11) by reading his statement aloud.

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Adrenalin junkie GERARD BUTLER has spent the summer learning how to surf and fly a helicopter.
The 300 star took off in a paraglider during a holiday in the Swiss Alps and that appears to have fuelled his love for adventure.
He has now taken to the surf and the skies for new heart-pounding challenges,.
He says, "This has actually been the summer of adventure. I’ve been learning to fly a helicopter. Learning to surf.
"You should see me trying to fly a helicopter; I mean that feels pretty dangerous. And I’ve also been flying with a stunt pilot in Hawaii, literally going along the water (at) 180 mph, like, five feet off the water. And he takes you up to waterfalls, and you fly by the waterfall and the blades are going through the water."

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Funnyman SETH ROGEN’s upcoming wedding reception will be all beeps and buttons - he plans to stock the nuptials with his favourite video games.
The Knocked Up star proposed to Lauren Miller last year (10) and they are planning to become man and wife this autumn (11) at a venue in California’s Napa Valley.
And Miller has added a special touch to make Rogen, an avid gamer, and his pals feel at ease at the lavish nuptials.
A source tells Us Weekly magazine, "She added an arcade theme. There will be video games!"

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Celebrated photographer HARRY BENSON will always hold fond memories of his only meeting with late singer AMY WINEHOUSE, remembering the star’s "European, old-fashioned manners".
The snapper met the tragic Rehab singer at the height of her fame in 2007, and took a striking picture of the star smoking a cigarette on a bed at The Savoy hotel in London.
At the launch of The Howard Greenberg Gallery for his exhibition, Beyond Words: Photography in the New Yorker earlier this week (begs19Sep11), Benson told guests he was impressed by Winehouse’s politeness and exquisite etiquette.
According to New York Post gossip column PageSix, he said, "(She had) European, old-fashioned manners. There was no coarseness - she served a cup of tea to everyone on the shoot and poured herself a cup last. Not only did she give the waiter a very nice tip, she even called me Mr. Benson!"

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