Jeffs Celebrity Gossip Blog

Tom Cruise apparently sent a private jet carrying two of his assistants in order to get supplies to cater to the cravings of his fiancee, Katie Holmes.

The couple are currently keeping out of the media spotlight with a stay at a ranch in Colorado with three-month-old baby Suri.

When Holmes professed a desire for cherry soda, the Mission: Impossible actor immediately leapt into action.

Hours later the two staff members were observed off-loading organic food and bottles of drink from the plane at a local airport.

Primal Scream singer Bobby Gillespie has suffered an attack in a bar in Madrid, according to reports.

The 42-year-old sustained a broken nose and two black eyes on Friday evening, and was consequently told by doctors to rest over the weekend - an instruction which led to the band being late for the recording of Tops Of The Pops.

A band spokesman said: “There was an incident in Madrid on Friday. Bobby was in the hotel bar when a guy lunged at him in an unprovoked attack that left him with facial injuries. The band were late for the show because doctors advised him not to fly until Sunday afternoon. Top of the Pops were very understanding and they performed as expected that evening.”

Variety reports this morning that Michelle Pfeiffer has signed on to the Hairspray film as Velma von Tussel. Additionally, the film has firmed up its production schedule, which has it going before the cameras in September '06 for a December 21, 2007 release. Hairspray won't be Pfeiffer's first major screen role in a musical, she got her on screen start in Grease 2. Later, in 1989, she starred as chanteuse Susie Diamond in The Fabulous Baker Boys, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. Her non-musical film credits include: Scarface, Ladyhawke, The Witches of Eastwick, Married to the Mob, Tequila Sunrise, The Russia House, Frankie and Johnny, Batman Returns, The Age of Innocence, Dangerous Minds, One Fine Day, I Am Sam, and White Oleander. Currently, Pfeiffer is filming Stardust, the Sci-Fi fantasy epic opposite Robert DeNiro, Claire Danes, and Sienna Miller, which is also due to be released in 2007.

Pfeiffer will join the previously announced John Travolta as Edna Turnblad, Queen Latifah as Motormouth Maybelle, Amanda Bynes as Penny, Brittany Snow as Amber von Tussel, Elijah Kelley as Seaweed, and newcomer Nicole Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad, who helps to integrate a Baltimore dance show-and wins the heart of Link (Zac Efron) in the process.

The film version of Hairspray will be directed by Adam Shankman (Bringing Down the House) produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, for their Zadan/Meron Productions, which previously executive produced the Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning Best Picture Chicago.
Hairspray is originally based on the 1988 John Waters comedy. The new version of the film will be based on New Line's hit Broadway adaptation of the film, which debuted in 2002, and went on to win eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book and Best Director.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will contribute new songs to their existing Tony Award-winning score. Shaiman will also serve as the film's music supervisor and will compose the music score for the film as well as produce its songs. Wittman and Shaiman will also serve as executive producers on the film. The new screenplay for Hairspray will be written by Leslie Dixon (Freaky Friday, Outrageous Fortune).

Toby Emmerich, New Line's president of production, is overseeing the project along with New Line's Executive VP of Production Mark Kaufman, and Creative Executives Michael Disco and Daryl Freimark.

A condensed production of Hairspray opened at the Luxor Las Vegas on February 15th. Originally starring Fierstein and Dick Latessa, the show closed on June 11th with Paul Vogt and Eddie Mekka as Edna and Wilbur, respectively. On Broadway, it currently stars Shannon Durig, John Pinette, Stephen DeRosa, Darlene Love, Isabel Keating and more.

HAS Adrien Brody ditched longtime girlfriend Michelle Dupont? Our eagle-eyed spy insists the Oscar winner was "snuggling" with former Olympic ice-skating medalist Oksana Baiul (who bears more than a passing resemblance to Tara Reid these days) at the pre-Espy GM party on the Paramount Studios lot last week. "He was all over her the whole night," our spy says. But a rep for Brody says that while he did attend the party, he was "absolutely not with Oksana Baiul."

Major DVD releases
Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
ATL
Avatar Book 1, Vol. 4
Bullets of Ballots
Carnivale - Season 2
City for Conquest
Code Breakers
Each Dawn I Die
Edison Force
Incredible Hulk - Season 1
Pee Wee Herman Show
Pretender - Season 4
Queer Duck
Ren & Stimpy - The Lost Episodes
San Quentin
She's the Man (Amanda Bynes)
Some Like it Hot (collectors Edition)
Spongebob Squarepants - Karate Island
Tsotsi

Major Music Releases
Alien Ant Farm - Up in the Attic
Black Stone Cherry - Black Stone Cherry
Bone Crusher - Release the Beast
Bronx - Bronx
Celia Cruz - Tremendo Cache
Billy Ray Cyrus - I Wanna Be Your Joe
Eighteen Vision - Eighteen Visions
Feist - Open Season
French Kicks - Two Thousand
Neil Gaiman - Where's Neil When You NEed Him?
Lisa German - In Maybe World
Golden Smog - Another Fine Day
Helmet - Monochrome
Kottonmouth Kings - Droppin Bombs
Los Lonely Boys - Sacred
Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins
Third Eye Blind - Best Of
XTC - Apple Box

"American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino had to be persuaded to play herself in a television movie about her hardscrabble life.

"Life Is Not a Fairy Tale," to air August 19 on Lifetime, is inspired by the R&B singer's autobiography about dropping out of high school and becoming an unwed mother at 17.

"I didn't think it was going to be tough going back playing myself, but it was because I had to relive those moments," Barrino told the Television Critics Association's summer meeting Friday.

"At the end, I began to cry and I said, 'I went through all those things, but I know why I share my life.' I'm thankful that I was able to do it."

A rape scene was particularly unnerving for Barrino, who initially told director Debbie Allen she wouldn't do it.

"She talked to me, and she helped me out a lot," Barrino said. "The good part about it is her son played the part.

"He was so warm and funny. I said, 'If you touch me, I'm going to punch you.' He goes, 'I'm going to punch you back.' So it made it a whole lot easier for me."

Barrino was the third season winner of "Idol" and released her debut album "Free Yourself" in 2004.

It could be magic for some, but the use of loud Barry Manilow music to drive away late-night revelers from a suburban Sydney park is getting on the nerves of nearby residents.

In a move reminiscent of U.S. efforts to drive former Panama strongman Manuel Noriega from the Vatican Embassy where he took refuge in 1989, the local council in Rockdale, in Sydney's southern suburbs, started a six-month trial of high-volume hits by Manilow and Doris Day to chase away car enthusiasts who were gathering on weekend nights at Cook Park Reserve.

"Barry's our secret weapon," Rockdale Deputy Mayor Bill Saravinovski told The Daily Telegraph newspaper, four weeks after the start of the effort. "It seems to be working."

But some people living near the park are less than enthralled. They say the barrage of "Copacabana," "Could It Be Magic" and "Que Sera Sera," blasting from 9 p.m. to midnight every Friday, Saturday and Sunday is driving them crazy.

"I don't know how I will cope," said Moya Dunn, describing how the songs have invaded her house. "I just can't sleep when it's on, and to think there's going to be another six months of this."

Officials have given in a little, agreeing to turn down the volume a bit after residents complained.

"The initial reaction was that they found it irritating," Saravinovski said. "I'm not disputing what the residents are saying. I can't swallow some of the tracks like `Mandy.'

"We have tried to reduce the sound and we are reviewing the songs. I don't mind Marry Manilow, but I'm more of an ABBA and Celine Dion fan."

In 1989, U.S. soldiers blasted hard rock music and news bulletins about Panama at the Vatican Embassy in Panama City in attempt to drive Gen. Noriega from refuge there. The Vatican complained, and U.S. troops stopped the noise. Noriega later surrendered.

ROBBIE WILLIAMS has bottled out of a chart showdown with man of the moment JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE.

The Prince Of Pop has delayed his new album release — called 1974 — so it won’t go head-to-head with Justin’s latest, FutureSex: LoveSounds.

Both CDs were due out on September 11 but now Robbie has held his back until the beginning of October.

It’s a surprise move by Robbie. I hear he has his best and most experimental album to date up his sleeve.

And the delay could now mean a chart battle with THE KILLERS.

A source said: “Taking on Timberlake would have been madness but The Killers will still provide some serious competition.”

I get the feeling Robbie’s on autopilot on his Close Encounters tour.

But his fans shouldn’t be too disheartened.

I’ve got my hands on details of 1974, named after the year Robbie was born, and it sounds like a return to form.

The first single, Rudebox, comes out in September, followed by Lovelight — which I hear is Robbie at his best — in December.

He has also recorded two rap-style tracks called The 80s and The 90s, about his days in TAKE THAT.

One shocking lyric describes how he’d like to cut former manager Nigel Martin-Smith’s eyes with a Stanley knife, says a record label source.

Two more amazing songs are The Actor, inspired by his hero DAVID BOWIE and She’s Madonna — which I told you on Saturday the Queen Of Pop loves.

Robbie has also recorded a tribute to NEIL TENNANT and CHRIS LOWE called We’re The Pet Shop Boys, written by US synth guru MY ROBOT FRIEND.

There are two cover versions on the album: Kiss Me, a hit for Robbie’s right-hand man STEPHEN DUFFY and THE HUMAN LEAGUE'S Louise, which Robbie has said is one of his favourite songs.

LILY ALLEN sings backing vocals on two tracks.

With PET SHOP BOYS production and great tracks, I think it’s a shame Robbie’s not squaring up to Timberlake.

Shocking details have emerged about the cause of Christie Brinkley's split from fourth husband Peter Cook. It seems the Cover Girl found out her 47-year-old husband had been having an affair with 19-year-old Diana Bianchi. Cook had been plying the girl with gifts of cash and a car, as well as the promise of helping her with her singing career, and talked openly of wanting to leave his marriage to Brinkley.

Cook would e-mail Bianchi with details of where she could find piles of cash stashed randomly around Long Island, NY - which were sometimes reportedly hidden under rocks. "She was a victim of this guy who preyed on her immaturity, the fact that she's 19," says the teen's lawyer. "There's just so many things wrong with what this guy did." Cook reportedly met Bianchi at the toy store where she worked, while he was shopping for Brinkley's children.

When she was laid off, Cook offered Bianchi a position at his architectural firm, where their relationship progressed. Brinkley found out about her husband's disturbing behavior from Bianchi's stepfather, and then had Cook's email account investigated to uncover emails between he and the teen. Brinkley also reportedly met with the police after discovering what had been going on.

Kevin Federline has vowed not to stay out after a 3am curfew. He used to party until sunrise but has told pregnant wife Britney Spears he will be back at a reasonable hour.

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Russell Crowe decided to play a Brit who takes over a French vineyard in A Good Year because his favorite director Ridley Scott told him to. Crowe explained: "If Ridley told me to jump off a cliff, I'd go, 'Righto, mate."

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Bra wars have broken out between Leonardo DiCaprio's lovers. His ex Gisele Bundchen is angry that Victoria's Secret are now pursuing Leo's new flame Bar Rafaeli to join their supermodel stable.

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Meryl Streep got a nasty surprise when she sat down with her family to watch her film The Devil Wears Prada in which she plays a tyrant. She revealed: "At one point, my daughter leaned over and said, 'This character is the real you."

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Grey's Anatomy stars Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo are each a million dollars richer after being signed up as models for fashion retailer New York & Co's new ad campaign.

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Linda Robson has revealed she's in talks about starring in a new series of her hit comedy Birds Of A Feather. She revealed: "They are planning a revival of the show and I am well up for it. That was the highlight of my career."

Beach babe Pamela Anderson gave her glamour rivals the bums rush as she took a stroll round a holiday hotspot yesterday.

The ex Baywatch star, 39, wowed onlookers in the French resort of St Tropez with her tan-tastic looks.

An onlooker said: "She was walking along with her famous assets covered up and she still turned more heads than everyone else on the beach."

Rafael Nadal wasted no time in having a rearly great time of things with his girlfriend in his home Majorca.

The tennis ace who lives in the village of Manacore with three generations of his family, enjoyed swimming in the sea before hiring a pedalo and relaxing in the sun.

Rafael, 19, two-time French Open champion and Wimbledon finalist showed off his pecs to former Miss Spain Xisca and onlookers said they seemed smitten.

Jennifer Ellison was a subdued sight when she was snapped leaving London's Cambridge Theatre with a big bruise on her left arm.

The 23-year-old kept her head down and tried to clamp her arm to her side while her fiance Tony Richardson, 27, got to grips with a gross greeny.

Despite the unsightly blemish, Jennifer still managed to look her usual lovely self.

And we hear the all-singing, acting and dancing queen could soon be offered a role on the board at London's Royal Ballet School.

Which male star is causing serious fears for his health after turning to the booze in a big bad way? And the lad in question is heading for rehab after maintaining a non-stop diet of alcohol and one bowl of cereal a day over the past three months.