June 2006 Gossip Archive (Page 9)

While his sister is losing weight, Michael Jackson may be losing millions.

The singer's abnormal financial wheelings and dealings are expected to be the focus of an upcoming trial regarding lawsuit filed by gay porn producer F. Marc Schaffel, a former Jackson associate who claims the King of Pop owes him $3.8 million in various expenses.

Schaffel's complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in November 2004, alleges that Jackson still owes him a good chunk of the $3 million he was promised in return for producing a pair specials on the singer to counteract the humiliating portrayal put forth by Martin Bashir's documentary, Living with Michael Jackson.

Additionly, Schaffel claims he's owed a portion of his salary for producing Jackson's post-9/11 charity single, "What More Can I Give?," along with reimbursement for a series of loans and payments he says he made for Jackson over the years.

Among the monetary requests Schaffel claims he fulfilled for Jackson include:

• Making a $1 million payment to Marlon Brando in return for appearing at a concert and in a music video
• Purchasing a $600,000 piece of jewelry for Elizabeth Taylor in exchange for her signature on a release

Meanwhile, Schaffel is also expected to bring up some of the facts from Jackson's child molestation trial when he testifies about his role in dealing with the family of Jackson's accuser.

Three former security guards claim Britney Spears owes them overtime back pay, according to the Associated Press. A judge ruled that the trio must settle the dispute with the embattled pop princess through arbitration, according to People.

Silas Dukes, Lonnie DeShawn Jones and Randy Jones allege in their lawsuit, filed this March, that two of Spears' companies -- Britney Brands Inc. and Britney Touring Inc. -- hired them to provide security for the 24-year old singer and her home. They were to be paid a salary of $2,400-3,350 a week.

Not bad for roughing people up and hanging out with a cute chick. In any case, Stephen Madoni, an attorney representing the trio, plans to appeal the order to arbitrate, saying that the ruling could put his clients at a disadvantage, given that two of three hearings will be held in New York instead of California, which has more favorable laws.

Britney Brands Inc. and Britney Touring Inc. are incorporated in both New York and California. Madoni further asserted that the three guards never agreed to arbitrate wage claims, and that arbitration would strip court protections for the men.

Attorney William J. Briggs II, who represents Spears's companies, said the original agreement between the guards and the companies called for wage disputes to be arbitrated. The lawyer did not comment on the plummeting stock price of another of Britney's companies, Deadbeat Wigger Husbands LLC.

We're not sure how he does it. Aside from being kissed by a rose, Seal has been kissed - many times - by uber model Heidi Klum. He must've been far more than kissed at least three times, moreover, because the couple recently announced its expecting its third child.

The couple already have a son together, Henry (9 months), and a daughter, Leni (two years old) from Klum's previous relationship with race car driver Flavio Briatore.

"You'd never have known if you saw her at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards [on June 5]," says our source. "She's just starting to show."

Klum, 33, us currently in New York City, finishing up the latest installment of Project Runway, which debuts July 12 on Bravo. Seal, meanwhile, is dancing his daily jig of gratitude for actually ending up with such a beautiful woman.

That lasted awhile.

Days after explaining to Regis and Kelly that she loves being single, Paris Hilton was spotted on the arm of a certain hockey player in Canada.

In town for the Much Music Awards (naturally) over the weekend, Paris was seen partying and holding hands with hockey player Jose Theodore, goalie for the Colorado Avalanche. One might say this ho-bag has a snowball's chance in Hell of remaining on her own for more than 24 hours.

The two left Club Ultra in Toronto together, destination Paris' hotel room and the nasty vixen's five-hole. There's a sordid twist, however, as this could be more than a typical tanging of the first red-blooded male Hilton comes across.

Theodore has a girlfriend, Stéphanie Cloutier. She gave birth to couple's first child, a daughter named Romy, on Saturday, March 18. The pair were expected to marry in the near future.

Then Paris stepped in. While she may have avoided a traffic accident this time, the same can't be said for a bedroom violation of the worst kind.

A low-key family barbeque was all that Paul McCartney wanted when celebrating his birthday yesterday, as the music legend shelved previous plans for a lavish party amid a tidal wave of personal problems.

"Sir Paul could not face a big party with so much turmoil in his life," a source close to the former Beatle said.

Paul, who turned 64, spent the day with his five children, including baby Beatrice, his daughter with estranged wife Heather Mills. The 38-year old was not in attendance, but called with birthday greetings.

"It was a gesture Heather felt she had to make to wish her husband a happy birthday and to tell him to enjoy Father's Day, even if it was impossible for her to be there," a source close to Mills said.

"There was no way she was going to be there unless the family all agreed. Paul's daughters, especially Stella, had made their feelings clear and Heather didn't want to rock the boat on Father's Day," the source added. "It was hard for her and she was very sorry not to see Bea with her father on his special birthday."

Since separating from McCartney last month, Mills has been the topic of incredible tabloid scrutiny. One could say, in a manner of speaking, that she's been spanked by the media.

Rumors continue to surface about Mills' past, with numerous publications stating she was a high-priced hooker and a model for "instructional lovemaking guides," including one called "Sexual Secrets" depicting her rather unfavorably.

Former Saved By The Bell star and current standup comedian Dustin Diamond is having a rough go of it, and not just because Lisa Turtle won't reciprocate his undying affections.

The 29-year old actor, who will forever be synonymous with his Bell character, Screech Powers, needs to raise $250,000 in the next 30 days to save his house from foreclosure.

Diamond bought a gray, two-story house in Port Washington, Wisconsin, upon the conclusion of Bell and its many spinoffs, in which he also starred. The foreclosure order was filed against him last month, as he has been unable to settle a land contract dispute with his New York-based lender.

To keep his house, Diamond is trying to sell nearly t-shirts at $15-20 a pop to keep the property. The front of the shirts read "Save My House" and "I paid $15 to save Screech's house" is printed on the back. For an extra $5, you can get an autographed version, in which Diamond will sign his name and tell his lender adversary that he can [expletive] himself.

He recently made an appearance on Howard Stern's radio show to plead his case.

While it would be fitting for Zack Morris to appear out of nowhere and admit he staged all of this as one of his elaborate practical jokes, Diamond is clearly having his bell rung (pun very much intended) in reality. Poor guy. Hopefully he can sell enough shirts. Failing that, perhaps former co-star and future Dancing With The Stars participant Mario Lopez can bail him out.

Or, in a last-ditch effort, he could always go the Elizabeth Berkeley route, if you know what we're talking about. We're talking about appearing in an NC-17 flick about strippers.

Jorge Garcia, along with producers and a few other stars from the TV show/life-altering experience, Lost, stopped by the annual Comic-Con convention in San Diego this year. Here's an interview with the actor that portrays Hurley:

Q: Do you think Hurley is the luckiest man in the world, or the unluckiest man in the world?

A: (Laughs) Well, yeah I guess now I've got to go with he's actually quite unlucky. I mean, he won the money but there's so much bad connected to that money that I don't know how you can consider that being lucky.

Q: There seems to be a real connection between you and the new cast member Libby played by Cynthia Watros. Is it cool for your character to have a bit of a love interest there.

A: It was. It was very cool, especially because how often does a guy like me get an onscreen kiss?

Q: And then again there was that scene this season with Hurley in the mental institution and Libby sitting across from you. Is all of Lost just a fantasy in Hurley's mind?

A: Well, you might think that if it was in Hurley's mind there would be a lot more going his way. Seriously, his girlfriend wouldn't have been shot.

Some things change, others don't. The latest American Idol winner may have had brown hair back in high school, but he's always been a charmer.

Brooke Kelley Campbell, who dated Taylor Hicks and took him to her senior prom at Hoover High School in Birmingham, Ala., says the singer was always a talented and enthusiastic performer, often becoming the center of attention in public.

"[Taylor] was such a good dancer... he was a fashion guy and he wanted to make sure that he matched my gloves and all that. My dress was green, and his tux was like a crisp green and navy plaid," said Campbell, now 29, whose romance with Hicks lasted for over a year.

Follow the link above for more reflections on the nation's newest Idol.

Hilary Duff may be dating Joel Madden, but the punk rocker hasn't seen much more of this singer/actress than any fan. How is that possible? Because Duff claims she wants to remain a virgin until her wedding night.

Hey, it worked for Jessica Simpson. Until that awful, public, humiliating divorce.

Duff, 18, is intent on remaining true to her V-card, however. She's upset when fans automatically assume she and Good Charlotte star Madden are have swapped much more than spit.

"It's harder having a boyfriend who's older because people just assume," she said. "But (virginity) is definitely something I like about myself. It doesn't mean I haven't thought about sex, because everyone I know has had it and you want to fit in."

Poor Madden, though. He'll have to wait a bit before he can fit into his girlfriend.

Look out, TomKat: Kurbin is coming for you!

After finally announcing their engagement last month, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are on the verge of exchanging vows. The couple hase returned to Australia and confirmed it intends to tie the knot soon.

"We are very happy to be back in Australia," the film star and country music singer said in a brief joint statement. We have come home to celebrate our wedding with our family and friends."

The date and venue are yet to be confirmed, but rumors are swirling that the ceremony will be Catholic and will take place in Sydney on June 25.

The Australian media reported guests have been told to keep their schedules free for most of next week, as they'll only be told of the nuptials 24 hours ahead of the ceremony. That's more time than it took Kidman's ex-husband, Tom Cruise, to supposedly fall in love with Katie Holmes.

Kidman and Urban, both 38, met in January 2005 at a black-tie dinner in Los Angeles sponsored by the Australian government. Despite planning to get married in Sydney, the couple intend to live in Nashville, Tennessee, where the Grammy-winning Urban is based.

"I've moved to Tennessee for my personal life. I'm establishing my new home there," Kidman told a press conference in Shanghai on Sunday.