It's a boy for former fashion model Kimora Lee Simmons and actor Djimon Hounsou. Simmons announced the birth Saturday on her Twitter feed. A representative for Simmons says both she and her newborn son are doing great. No further details were immediately available. The 34-year-old Simmons has two daughters with 51-year-old hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, whom she divorced in 2008 after seven years of marriage. Kimora Lee Simmons is CEO of Phat Fashions, a clothing design company that her ex-husband founded. She has also been the focus of a reality television show and has been a judge on America's Next Top Model. Benin-born actor Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards, including for his role in Blood Diamond. (Daily Record)

Brian McFadden and Delta Goodrem are postponing their December wedding because of "work commitments". The pair have been planning a sunny wedding in Australia since they announced their engagement in 2007 - but, despite this, the couple have been forced to delay their nuptials because of their heavy work schedules. The Westlife singer, who has two children with ex-wife Kerry Katona, assured fans the postponement was not due to problems in their relationship. "We don't want to get married between gigs," he said. (British Glamour)

On Saturday, Britney Spears was seen spending some quality time - even MORE - with her agent, Jason Trawick, and the two seemed to be quite friendly with one another. One paparazzi who follows her regularly says: "In my eyes, Britney and Jason are definitely together. I've never seen any other celebrity spend as much time with their agent as Brit does - vacation in Costa Rica, dinner, the Bahamas, running out to get Starbucks on a Saturday afternoon - I mean, it's not just business as usual. Oh, and did we mention that Brit Brit kept former Mr. Spears, Kevin Ferderline, waiting at her house to pick up their sons while she frolicked and played with her agent? At least she has drastically raised her standards, but she should really learn to stop dating the help! (Perez Hilton)

As the June 24 release date of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen approaches, it appears that costars, Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox are spending an increasing amount of time together. Case in point: The stars were spotted on a coffee run together in Burbank on May 27, and Fox’s car was spotted outside LaBeouf’s house early that morning. But, is this a budding romance or a publicity stunt for their movie? (People)

Canadian media is reporting that 90210 star Shenae Grimes was kidnapped as a young child! While in the 4th grade, Grimes and her friend Carolyn were leaving school when the father of one of their former friends offered to give them a ride home. Shenae and her friend were told not to use the phone and he drove the girls around Toronto until 9:30 at night, meeting up with numerous people during the long ride. Scary! Grimes made a run for it while stopped in a parking lot and immediately called her parents, knowing something was up. When the police showed up to the scene, they found "illegal weapons and drugs" in the trunk of the man's car!! So shady.  Shenae's a lucky girl! (Perez Hilton)

Two days after suffering a minor injury on the set of Salt, Angelina Jolie got back into action. The mother of six -- who turns 34 Thursday -- was spotted smiling as she filmed more stunt scenes (involving a police car) on the NYC set of the thriller Sunday. Jolie was taken to the hospital Friday after bumping her head on the set of Salt. She returned to the set later in the day though it is unknown if she shot any action scenes that day. Meanwhile, her beau Brad Pitt spent the weekend in Los Angeles, making an appearance at Spike TV's Guys Choice Awards Saturday. Pitt appeared to be in a jovial mood, even heckling Mel Gibson about his 2006 DUI arrest. "Thanks, sugar t***!" Pitt quipped after Gibson introduced Fight Club, which was inducted into the Guy Hall of Fame. When he was arrested for DUI, Gibson reportedly called a female police officer "sugar t***.") (US Weekly)

R & B star Rihanna’s leaked nude pictures have cost her the cover of US Vogue. Leaked nude photographs have lost Rihanna the chance to appear on the cover of American Vogue, Star magazine have claimed. Insiders say influential editor Anna Wintour approached Rihanna at the recent Met's Costume Institute Gala in New York and offered her the prestigious cover, "Anna told her Vogue absolutely loves her and really wanted to work with her. Rihanna was ecstatic," a source claims before saying the offer was retracted when naked pictures of the R & B star appeared online earlier this month. "Anna hasn't returned any of her calls. Rihanna's so upset. She hopes the people at Vogue change their minds." (Handbag)

Unlikely "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Steve-O is motivating himself to stay sober -- with more tattoos. The inked-up star of "Jackass," who was voted off the show last month, was spotted at Shamrock Tattoo on Sunset Boulevard the other night. "He was talking a lot about sobriety and passing another landmark," our source said of the rehabbed rebel. "He seemed like he was getting the tattoo on the back of his shoulder to mark a new sober period. He was in really good spirits." (Page Six)

Natasha Richardson's will has been revealed—and, as expected, the late actress left the bulk of her estate to her beloved husband, Liam Neeson. Per documents obtained by the New York Post, Richardson, who died March 18 after suffering a brain injury in a fall at a Quebec ski resort, also willed $200,000 to her half-sister, Katharine Grimond Hess; $50,000 to Josephine Burke, an employee who lives in London; $20,000 to an aunt; and $10,000 to Kevin Mark Harris, a television costumer who resides in New York. No word on the worth of the assets the British-born thesp bestowed to Neeson, who was named co executor of her estate with longtime friend Aidan Quinn when the will was written in 2005. The couple, who have two teenage children, owned houses in Manhattan and the Hudson Valley, where she is buried near her grandmother, Rachel. A member of the British theatrical dynasty—whose parents are legendary actress Vanessa Redgrave and film director Tony Richardson—Natasha Richardson would have turned 46 on May 11. (Eonline)

Police in Los Angeles say Point Break actress Lori Petty has been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after she struck and injured a skateboarder. Police spokesman Bruce Borihanh says the 45-year-old Petty was arrested Saturday night in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. He says the unidentified skateboarder was treated for injuries at the scene. Petty was booked into jail early Sunday and released after posting $100,000 bail. A call to her manager was not immediately returned. Petty was the star of the 1995 movie Tank Girl and has also appeared in Point Break and A League of Their Own. (Daily Record)

A little bit of history has died. Millvina Dean, the last known survivor of the Titanic, passed away on Sunday at 97 years young. Although Dean was just an infant when the ship sank, she was extremely involved with Titanic enthusiasts and historians over the past three decades. She survived the tragedy along with her younger brother and mother but did not discover that she was aboard the ship until she was 8 years old. Dean’s death fell on May 31, exactly 98 years after the Titanic was launched. (Perez Hilton)


THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Gamers, get ready for your close-up. Steven Spielberg was on hand to introduce a prototype camera Monday that can be used as a controller for the Xbox 360. Codenamed Project Natal, the camera can track a player's full body movement while responding to commands, directions and a shift of emotion in voice without the need for a controller. The announcement was made at Microsoft's flashy Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference at University of Southern California's Galen Center. Microsoft also debuted 10 exclusive new games and the ability to access social networking sites Facebook and Twitter as well as streaming music service Last.fm on the Xbox Live service. The popular social networking sites Facebook and Twitter will be fully integrated into Xbox Live beginning this fall. There were several announcements about the Xbox 360's video capabilities including increased functionality with the online Netflix service, 1080p high-definition video downloads, live TV in the United Kingdom and the ability to watch movies online with friends. Microsoft also debuted 10 exclusive new games. Among them: the open-world action sequel Crackdown 2, New Orleans-set zombie-killer Left 4 Dead 2, third-person shooter Splinter Cell Conviction, sleek racer Forza Motorsport 3 and the psychological thriller Alan Wake. (Daily Record)

She's still the iconic image of the Hollywood blonde, even 47 years after her death – at age 36 – in 1962. With Monday marking what would have been the 83rd birthday of Marilyn Monroe, LIFE.com has posted a gallery of never-before-seen images of the then-rising star, taken in 1950 by Life photographer Ed Clark in Los Angeles's Griffith Park. Monroe, then 24, had already played the girlfriend of a crooked lawyer in The Asphalt Jungle and was soon to be seen as "a graduate of the Copacabana School of dramatic art" in the Oscar-winning All About Eve. Still ahead: the subway-swept skirt in 1955's The Seven-Year Itch and her definitive comic performance, in 1959's Some Like It Hot, to say nothing of the inspiration she continues to provide Madonna and Gwen Stefani. (People)

Eminem returned to the spotlight Sunday, spitting the lyrics of his name-dropping singles "We Made You" and "Crack A Bottle" from his hit album Relapse at the MTV Movie Awards. But not long after his performance, he stormed away from his seat in the auditorium when Sacha Baron Cohen, dressed as his flamboyant character Brüno in angel wings and a barely-visible thong, descended on wires and landed face down in the rapper's lap. Bodyguards pounced and Eminem's entourage made its exit in what was the most outrageous moment of a night of filled with irreverence. Other examples: host Andy Samberg spoofing box office hits like Slumdog Millionaire (which was nominated six times but came up empty handed) and Star Trek, Amy Poehler accepting the Golden Popcorn trophy for the best "WTF moment" and Forest Whitaker singing an operatic rendition of Samberg's Emmy Award winning song "D– in a Box." But the night belonged to the film sensation Twilight, which picked up five awards, including the top prize for best movie. After Shia LaBeouf handed out the best fight award to its stars Robert Pattinson and Cam Gigandet for their tussle in the vampire movie, Pattinson also picked up the award for the best breakthrough performance by a male. Later, he and costar Kristen Stewart teased the crowd by nearly reenacting the kiss between their characters Edward Cullen and Bella Swan while accepting the award for best buss. Stewart also won the prize for best female performance. "I was just about as awkward as you thought I was going to be," the flustered star said at the podium. Other winners included High School Musical 3: Senior Year's Ashley Tisdale, who won in the female breakthrough performance category while her costar Zac Efron won for best male performance. Jim Carey won for best comedic performance for his role in Yes Man and Heath Ledger was posthumously honored for his legendary performance in The Dark Knight. The best song from a movie went to Miley Cyrus for "The Climb," which was featured in Hannah Montana: The Movie. Efron, Kiefer Sutherland and Triumph the Insult Dog presented former MTV Movie Awards host Ben Stiller with the MTV Generation Award, honoring the actor for a career of "selling out box offices without selling out." (People)

Scottish singer Susan Boyle was taken to a London clinic for treatment following her second-place finish in a nationwide talent competition, a newspaper reported Monday. Boyle, 48, was admitted to the Priory Clinic on Sunday, a day after she finished behind a male dance group in the Britain's Got Talent television show, the Sun newspaper reported. Boyle was the heavy favorite to win the finals — watched by over 19 million people — after becoming a YouTube sensation following her first appearance on the show in April. By Friday, the pressure appeared to be building relentlessly on the shy singer, who reportedly went into seclusion after exploding at journalists from Britain's notoriously aggressive tabloids. The television company talkbackThames said Boyle was "exhausted and emotionally drained" and was taking a few days off. "She has been seen by her private GP who supports her decision to take a few days out for rest and recovery," the company said. "We offer her our ongoing support and wish her a speedy recovery." London police would not directly confirm the report, but said doctors had been called to assist a woman under the Mental Health Act. Police said the woman had gone to a clinic voluntarily. Boyle drew 20.2% of the vote in the final, behind the dance group Diversity, which won 24.9% of the 4 million votes cast. The discovery that a 48-year-old woman from a small Scottish town was capable of singing very well on a national stage made Boyle an international sensation. Heavy media coverage followed, much of it laced with snide commentary about her looks, her social awkwardness, and her remark that she had never been kissed. Still, on Oprah Winfrey's U.S. television show, the singer said she was "loving every second" of her unexpected stardom. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond was scathing about the media pressure. "We've got elements of a press who like nothing better than to build people up and then drag them down," Salmond said. "It's pretty sad actually. It's almost a psychosis." (Daily Record)

Before filming could even begin in the Costa Rican jungle on "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here," Janice Dickinson was already ill from inoculation shots, and Stephen Baldwin was throwing tantrums over his lost luggage. The show, which premiered last night on NBC, has been one disaster after another for Baldwin, who flew into a rage when asked to take his insurance physical and screamed at staffers, "Why would I take a physical? I'm in perfect shape." DailyFill.com reports that after Baldwin finally agreed to be examined, he initially flunked it due to high blood pressure. The Jesus-loving has-been also refused at first to take the psychological test. Because of the delays, the show had to change his flight to Costa Rica several times, which he, of course, missed. And then, to add insult to injury, the airline promptly lost his luggage, causing the actor to unleash another tirade. Come on, Stephen, at least you're working. Meanwhile, Dickinson, who did the show two years ago, told Page Six her fellow castmates -- Lou Diamond Phillips, former "American Idol" contestant Sanjaya Malakar, former NBA-er John Salley, pro wrestler Torrie Wilson, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt of "The Hills," and Patti Blagojevich, wife of the disgraced Illinois governor -- don't know what they're in for. "They think this is a game show. It isn't," the original supermodel said from her hotel, where she was recuperating from her shots. "It's arduous. It's fighting hunger. Since I haven't eaten in 32 years, it won't affect me." Asked about sex on the set, Dickinson cracked, "After I have sex with Sanjaya, he'll come out of the closet and run out of the jungle." She seemed most worried about Pratt, noting, "He's somebody to keep your eye on. He's tricky." (Page Six)

Actor Daniel Radcliffe was left disappointed after he filmed his first onscreen love scene - because the "sexy" moment he dreamed of never materialized. The Harry Potter star stripped off for 2007 movie December Boys to get intimate with co-star Teresa Palmer - but he wasn't impressed by the experience. He says, "Whenever you watch those scenes in films you always think, 'That must be so sexy to do and wouldn't that be amazing'. "You wonder how those actors manage to control themselves. But when you're doing it and you've got people watching you, there is nothing sexy about it at all. "It is not in the least bit exciting, no matter how beautiful the girl is." (Teen Hollywood)

Stavros Niarchos is going to be a regular in the Hamptons this summer, so doormen at the nightclubs better get to know his face. Niarchos -- who's now living in Manhattan full-time and working with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, according to a source -- was at Hamptons hotspot Lily Pond last Saturday. "Stavros was standing outside waiting to get in, but the doorman didn't know who he was," said our tipster. Club owner Michael Satksy had to eventually come out and escort the shipping heir inside. (Page Six)

Katie Price’s mother has slammed her daughter’s estranged husband, Peter Andre. Amy Price, reality TV star Katie's mum, has called Peter Andre a "pr**k", in an interview with The People newspaper. "Everything that has been written about Katie has been so one-sided, it's not fair. We think Pete has been a p***k, but Katie won't stand up for herself over it. But the way he has behaved during all of this has been really wrong," Amy said. "Katie will get through this but it's been a very, very difficult time for her. What has happened has hit her hard, and she is having a hard time. When she's busy she's OK, but there are times when she is sitting there doing nothing and has time to think, that she finds it really tough." In other news insiders have told the News Of The World that Katie has agreed to a ‘quickie' divorce. "This has been a landmark couple of days for Katie. It's sad, but she's given up the fight. She now accepts she's never getting Peter back and is ready to move on with her life," the source claims. "It hasn't been easy but she knows it's necessary to enable her to eventually get on with things. She's gone from refusing to consider the possibility of divorce to agreeing it's a necessity. She doesn't want it dragging on and has decided that if this is what Peter really wants then that's what he's going to get." (Handbag)

She may not be making Bündchen bucks just yet, but Miranda Kerr's latest modeling endeavor is definitely priceless. Orlando Bloom's babe abandons her bloomers—and everything else, for that matter—for the cover of Rolling Stone Australia's upcoming Green Issue. The decision to pose in her birthday suit stems from a desire to raise awareness about the environment—most notably, the dangers faced by koalas. "It's a sad thing. There are only about 100,000 koalas left in Australia," she tells the mag. "Something like 80 percent of the koalas' habitat has been destroyed since Europeans arrived in Australia." Beautiful and furry-friend friendly? Looks like the tree isn't the only thing deserving of a hug. (Eonline)

Lauren Conrad says she isn't surprised some Hills stars are already clashing with Kristin Cavallari. "I think she is just very opinionated and that's how she has always been," Conrad told Usmagazine.com at Sunday's MTV Movie Awards, adding that she's already "gotten a few emails" about her replacement. Her advice for handling her former Laguna Beach costar? "You know, it's the same as dealing with anybody. I said, 'Be yourself,'" she told Us. "That's all you can do." Piggybacking off previous comments made by Audrina Patridge, Stephanie Pratt said she hasn't warmed up to Cavallari as well as she did with Conrad. "We are not really fans of her," Pratt told Us at the MTV Movie Awards. "She doesn't want to be friends with us. She wants to bring her acting skills to The Hills and yell at all of us." "I have no idea why she doesn't like us," Pratt added. "I actually just had lunch with Lo [Bosworth] the other day, and we were just talking about how crazy this is. She was telling me some interesting things about her in high school." Pratt said she still wants to be pals with Cavallari, who made her Hills debut on Sunday's finale. (She caught the bouquet at Heidi and Spencer's wedding and asked Bosworth to find her a man. She also mentioned that she met Justin Bobby, causing Patridge to cringe.) Said Pratt, "Audrina's my best best friend out of all the girls, and we are on our own side right now." Despite the drama, Frankie Delgado told Us Cavallari will bring "her little perkiness" to the show. "I think it's going to bring a whole new different life to the show," he said. "I think with Lauren it was her story. Now it's time to bring in somebody else's story." Cavallari, he added, "is just full of energy. You never know what to expect from her. We have shot twice with her and both times it was drama!" Brody Jenner's take on his ex joining The Hills?” Kristin and I get along just fine. They don't like Kristin because she brings so much drama," he told Us. "I think it's great." (US Weekly)

Jon Gosselin is channeling his inner Biz Markie -- claiming the girls he was kickin' it with on Memorial Day weekend (sans Kate) are nothing more than friends. Jon told People.com, "The two women with whom I've been photographed are family friends – Lauren Glassman and Lauren's daughter, Hailey."Lauren's husband, Dr. Larry Glassman, performed Kate's tummy tuck surgery, and since the surgery we've become friendly with the Glassmans." Jon was out again with the twosome at the Riverside Square Mall in New Jersey this weekend -- where he went on a $2,000 on a mid-day shopping spree. (TMZ)

The Pope's Radio Station Will Carry Ads for First Time. Vatican Radio is to “experiment” with commercials in order to defray its operating costs, according to the Catholic News Agency. The first advertiser will be Italian electricity utility ENEL. The radio service has never carried ads in its 80-year history. Radio Pope broadcasts in 47 languages and costs $29.8 million a year to run, CNA reported. It generates zero revenues. Potential advertisers will likely be carefully screened. BNET readers will remember thatNovartis CEO Daniel Vasella was banned from the station after the Vatican realized his company made contraceptives. He had been invited to make a “Commenter of the Week” appearance on the channel. The arrival of advertising on Vatican Radio is apparently something of a U-turn for the station. CNS noted:  Three years ago, Vatican Spokesman Frederico Lombardi said that the radio’s audience was too geographically, linguistically and ethnically diverse to appeal to advertisers. (Adweek)

Katie Price has hired Paul McCartney's divorce lawyer, Fiona Shackleton, as she battles with Peter Andre to end their marriage. "It's sad, but she's (Price) given up the fight. She now accepts she's never getting Peter back and is ready to move on with her life. It hasn't been easy but she knows it's necessary to enable her to eventually get on with things," a source said. Peter Andre, who has already hired a divorce lawyer, has applied for a decree nisi and insiders say he is planning to cite unreasonable behavior as the reason behind the separation. Friends are worried that the break-up is having a negative effect on the glamour model's health; on Sunday, during a modeling shoot, Katie said that she felt "s**t and ugly" and hadn't "felt this low in ages". (British Glamour)

Pint-sized thespian Danny DeVito reneged on a deal to pay a $500,000 fee to the backer of his upcoming project "True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle," according to a lawsuit just filed in Manhattan Supreme Court. Businessman Michael Caridi claims he struck a deal with DeVito's Jersey Films to raise $10 million for the movie, which stars Morgan Freeman and Pierce Brosnan, and was to be paid 5 percent for his efforts. He's now alleging that DeVito is not only refusing to honor the agreement, but is claiming that no agreement existed in the first place. "This type of reneging on a deal happens all too often in the entertainment world and must be stopped," his lawyer, Robert Hantman, tells Page Six. A spokesman for DeVito says, "The lawsuit is entirely without merit. The judge will see through it in a millisecond." (Page Six)

Billy Bob Thornton's estranged daughter told investigators a 1-year-old girl who died in her care acted normally and ate bananas after she fell from a playpen and hit her head, according to documents released Monday. But detectives believe Amanda Brumfield's story was inconsistent with the girl's injuries and she was charged Friday with child neglect causing harm or disability. Brumfield, 29, was released Monday from jail, according to a spokeswoman from the Orange County Corrections Department. The story was first reported by gossip website tmz.com. Arnold Robinson, Thornton's publicist, said the actor hasn't spoken to Brumfield for "a substantial number of years." Brumfield's home phone was not in service, and a cellphone message was not immediately returned. Her attorney, Warren Lindsey, also didn't return a phone call. According to the charging affidavit, Brumfield told detectives her goddaughter, Olivia Garcia, fell from a playpen, hit her head and bit her tongue Oct. 3 in her Ocoee home. The girl seemed normal after the fall, eating bananas and fruit snacks, and Brumfield told investigators she even painted the toddler's toenails before she went to sleep on a sofa. More than two hours later, Brumfield was moving the girl to a playpen and noticed she was limp. She called her husband, who was leaving work, and then waited 10 minutes until he came home before calling 911, the affidavit said. An autopsy determined the girl had a fractured skull and brain injury. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide and said Brumfield's explanation was inconsistent with the child's injuries, police said. Brumfield's mother, Melissa Parish — who went by Melissa Lee Gatlin when she married Thornton in 1978 — said her daughter shouldn't have been charged. She said there was no reason to call the police because the baby showed no signs of distress. Parish and Thornton divorced in 1980. (Daily Record)


MUSIC . . .

Fats Domino rarely emerges from his Louisiana home — and many wondered if he'd show up for "The Domino Effect," his namesake concert that raises funds to help rebuild schools and playgrounds damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Sure enough, the 81-year-old New Orleans native smiled and waved from his private suite to more than 3,000 cheering people who attended Saturday's concert to see two of his old friends perform —Little Richard and B.B. King. Domino is an icon in New Orleans, known nearly as much for his reclusiveness as for hits like Blueberry Hill and Ain't That a Shame. Little Richard, at the piano in a sparkly white suite, delivered an energetic set that included Lucille, "Tutti Frutti" and other hits. Between songs, he reminisced about New Orleans and Domino. Richard's breakout hit Tutti Frutti was recorded at Cosimo Matassa's studio in New Orleans in 1955. "I was right here," Richard said, playing the piano as he talked. "I was right here." Richard said he remembered being on the road with Domino, who always longed to be back home. Then Richard broke into song: "Every night about this time, I go to sleep to keep from cryin'." While on stage, Richard was given a plaque inducting him into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He said he was surprised and touched. Domino and Richard met backstage, where the men hugged, made small talk and posed for pictures. Richard's handlers handed out free inspirational pamphlets to fans during the concert, and backstage, he asked Domino and others to pray with him. "Bless this life," Richard prayed, his head bowed, "and bless this music." Domino also met with King after his blues set, which included the hit, "The Thrill is Gone." As King walked off stage, Domino greeted him with a hug. "It's good to see you my friend," King told Domino. "Did you bring me some gumbo?" King said he used to open shows for Domino in the early years of his career. In 2006, King recorded the title track on a tribute album to Domino, called Goin' Home. Saturday's concert ran more than four hours and included performances by Chuck Berry, Wyclef Jean, Keb Mo and Junior Brown. Comedian-actor Tracy Morgan, best known for his work on the TV shows "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock," also performed. Proceeds from the event are earmarked for Operation Kids, a program run through Saints Quarterback Drew Brees' foundation to improve the city's parks and schools. Brees attended the concert with wife, Brittany, and dozens of the couple's closest friends and family. All got to meet Domino. It wasn't the first time Drew Brees met the music legend. Brees said he got to hang out at Domino's home in the New Orleans suburb of Harvey a few weeks ago. He said Domino showed him his gold record collection and played the piano. "How many people get to say they got to do that?" he said. Domino has been living in Harvey since Katrina struck in 2005, flooding his home in the Lower 9th Ward neighborhood. Still, Domino enjoys visiting his publishing house, an extension of his old home. The studio is a classic shotgun double built in the 1930s that was rebuilt after Katrina. It is one of a few refurbished structures in the neighborhood, which still has blocks of abandoned homes and overgrown lots. Brees said he was grateful such pioneering musicians could help his foundation reach its goal of raising $1.8 million in two years to rebuild the city's parks, schools and play spaces — the things needed to bring families back to New Orleans. "These guys are legends," Brees said. "They helped define an era and build a musical genre. They're the fathers of blues and rock and roll." (Daily Record)

Being worn out from the pressure of months' worth of receiving the world's attention is what led Susan Boyle to being hospitalized, says a Britain's Got Talent judge. Speaking about Boyle on Monday's GMTV morning program in the U.K., Piers Morgan told the show's Kate Garraway: "I spoke to her yesterday for about half an hour and she's fine. She's gone in for some rest. She needs to get away from everyone – get away from the show, from the media, the public, and just have a bit of down time to herself." Following her surprise defeat on Britain's Got Talent Saturday after her smashing singing debut in April, Boyle, 48, reportedly was taken by ambulance and admitted to a private clinic in London Sunday for what was described as treatment of exhaustion. "She had too long to wait between the audition show and the final, and the pressure just builds and builds and builds," said Morgan. "It's been crazy, she has gone from anonymity to being the most-downloaded woman in history." He called her hospitalization "entirely voluntary … she wanted to do this. She talked to doctors – she's been seeing doctors through the week whenever she's wanting to because they've all been under huge pressure, these contestants. But nobody, and I stress this, has had to put up with the kind of attention that Susan has. And no one could have predicted it – so we entered uncharted territory." Praise from Prime Minister He added, "I was happy when I spoke to her yesterday that she's basically fine. She loved being on the show – this idea that she hated the show – she loved it. It's been the dream for her to try and pursue her singing career." Meanwhile, also on GMTV, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised Saturday night's Talent winner (over Boyle), the dance troop Diversity as "a great example of diversity in our country." He also wished the runner-up well, saying, "I hope Susan Boyle is okay, because she is a really, really nice person, and I think she will do well." Diversity leader Ashley Banjo concurred, calling Boyle "such a nice lady … The woman you see on stage – she's probably even more gracious off stage. And I just wish her all the best." (People)

Joss Stone is dying to be released from her record contract with EMI! So much so that the fucks-for-tracks singer is willing to cough up almost $4 million of her own money to her label! EMI have shot down Stone's deal and in return are threatening legal action against the Brit songstress. The label claims Joss is in breach of contract because she never handed over the master tapes for her new album, Colour Me Free, by the December 2008 deadline.  For shame! Stone believes that EMI would not promote her album properly and wants to buy it back and release Colour Me Free on her own accord. The label was bought out by a private equity firm back in 2007 and promptly slashed the label's budget because of lagging album sales. "Joss has completely lost faith in EMI. It’s all pie charts and products and there’s no creativity. She has no working relationship with them and no confidence they will support her or market her album properly," a friend of Stone's shared with the media. The source continued: "She’s actually prepared to pay £2million for her freedom – that’s how bad it is. She wants to give back this money from her advance to EMI so that she can get out of the deal. Then she’ll release the album some other way." (Perez Hilton)

Rap rules in the U.K. charts again, after Sunday's new sales figures confirmed a second week at No. 1 for both the single "Bonkers" (Dirtee Stank) by Dizzee Rascal featuring Armand Van Helden and Enimem's "Relapse" album (Interscope/Universal). Eminem's second week at the top came despite a strong debut by the self-titled first album by electronic female string quartet Escala. The group featured in the second series of ITV's "Britain's Got Talent" in May last year and then performed as guests on the second semi-final of the third series May 25. The album was produced by Trevor Horn. Pink, who held at No. 9 with "Funhouse" (LaFace/Sony Music Entertainment), which is double platinum for 600,000 shipments, now holds two positions the top ten, effectively covering her entire studio album output. A 4-CD box of her four previous titles, "Can't Take Me Home"/"Missundazstood"/"Try This"/"I'm Not Dead," which is selling for ¬£12.99 ($21.25) at high street retailer HMV, appeared at No. 7. The singer is now on the Australian leg of her "Funhouse" world tour. Veteran British rock act Simple Minds returned to the U.K. top ten with their 16th studio album "Graffiti Soul" (Sanctuary/UMRL). It hit No. 10 to become their highest-charting release since "Good News From The Next World" reached No. 2 in 1995. Dizzee Rascal's singles chart reign continued as the Black Eyed Peas' former No. 1 "Boom Boom Pow" (Interscope/Universal) spent a second week at No. 2. Swedish singer Agnes opened at No. 3 with the dance crossover "Release Me" (3 Beat), the first Europe-wide single by the former winner of Sweden's version of "Pop Idol." "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" (Interscope/Universal) by Soulja Boy featuring Sammie climbed 8-6 on the new singles survey, while Australian act the Veronicas debuted at No. 8 with "Untouched" (Sire/Warner Music), which hit No. 2 in their home country before reaching No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's certified platinum in the U.S. for one million paid downloads. "Knock You Down" (Polydor/Universal) by Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo climbed 24-12 on the new U.K. list, while Little Boots, aka British electro pop musician Victoria Hesketh, scored a first hit single at No. 13 with "New In Town" (sixsevenine/Warner Music). Flo-Rida's "Suga" (Atlantic/Warner Music) climbed 28-19. Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown" (Reprise/Warner Music) ascended 2-1 in its second week on Billboard's European Top 100 Albums chart, as Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" (Interscope/Universal) notched an epic 14th consecutive week atop Eurochart Hot 100 Singles.  (Billboard)

In between gigs with the Cult and recent studio collaborations with the likes of Lupe Fiasco, the Cult's Ian Astbury is in the process of adding the titles of theater producer and filmmaker to his resume. The singer is donating his time and talents to help raise funds for a production of John Patrick Shanley's "Savage in Limbo" at downtown Manhattan nightclub/venue The Bowery Electric. On June 12, the club will host an acoustic performance by his new ensemble the Soft Revolt. "We're really a shop front, a guerilla-styled acoustic incarnation," he tells Billboard.com. "It's not like a fully blown production, with a four-piece band and lights. It's really just acoustic guitars—every now and then we'll bring an amp. It's just a floating group of musicians, whoever's around at the time. We'll play seven to nine songs, whatever we want to play, we might play a Television song, a Led Zeppelin song, Patti Smith, Bowie, Doors songs, Cult songs, whatever we feel like playing." The show will be the band's second for the production; the first was in April.  "I think one of the last bastions of real craft is in the theater, and writers like Shanley," explained Astbury, who notes that a recent return to New York helped inspire him to get involved: "New York just kicks you in the ass. You see these things and you just want to do something. Even though the city has become gentrified, there's still a lot of diversity and progressive culture in NY. It's about the only place I could live right now." Also keeping him busy are a string of independent film projects, including a documentary based on Nobel Peace Prize-nominated author Andrea Smith's "Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide." "It's to do with matricide," Astbury said, "and how our culture destroys women, and how society still isn't working for the woman. "We haven't been in a place where women have been in charge for thousands of years. That's one of the underlying things of the documentary. It's great that Obama is the president, but he's not a woman. I think Michelle would make a much better president, personally. It's amazing that he's the president, but I think his wife could do a much better job. I think a woman could do a much better job. Men just fuck things up." Currently "in development," Astbury is working on the film with Mona Lavelle, wife of James Lavelle of UNKLE, with whom the singer has collaborated. It was through Lavelle that he recently teamed up with Lupe Fiasco, a fellow UNKLE collaborator. "It's a work in progress based on a mutual affection of Japanese street culture." Long fascinated and moved by Native American culture, Astbury is also working on two shorts films called "We Defy" and "Ruins," the latter of which he describes as "almost a ‘Romeo and Juliet' story set on a reservation." "I'm finding myself more in a role as a producer/writer/behind-the-scenes kind of guy, more like a cultural savant as opposed to a frontman, although I still enjoy getting up onstage and performing," he says. Astbury will do just that when he rejoins Cult partner Billy Duffy in July to kick off an international tour on which the band will play its seminal, 1985 "Love" album from start to finish. Featuring modern rock staples "She Sells Sanctuary" and "Rain," the album, Astbury says, "came off the back end of punk rock, and was one of the first MTV generation records—1985, it was on point. The Cult got away from the post-modern thing a little bit, when we got sort of lost in production, and made records like ‘Sonic Temple' and ‘Ceremony,' but the ‘Love' album was made with 100 percent pure earnestness. It's a pure album and it's so much more in harmony with where I'm at right now. I feel more connected to that record than probably any other record the Cult made. "[Playing the album live] gives some context to what the Cult are, in terms of what we do have a claim to—building this post-modern world. We're one of the principal architects to that world, in a way. For me, it's kind of like, ‘Hey, wait a minute, I don't want my legacy to be ‘Sonic Temple.' It's amazing how many people come up and say, ‘Hey dude, where's the cowboy hat and long hair?' I haven't looked like that in like 16 years," he said. (Billboard)

Even as the third incarnation of Black Sabbath - now doing business as Heaven & Hell - prepares to tour to promote its new album, "The Devil You Know," a battle is raging over who should own the Sabbath name. Frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who left the band in 1979 and returned in 1997 for periodic touring and a live album, is suing guitarist Tony Iommi, accusing him of falsely assuming ownership of the Sabbath name in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The suit contends that Osbourne's "signature vocals" were responsible for the band's "extraordinary success," noting its decline in popularity after he left the first time. Osbourne is demanding a 50 percent share of the name for himself as well as a split of monies earned while he was not in the band.  Iommi has not yet responded to the suit, but prior to that he acknowledged to Billboard.com that a desire to avoid "legal issues" was behind adopting the name Heaven & Hell for the currently active lineup that includes himself, original bassist Terry "Geezer" Butler, singer Ronnie James Dio (who replaced Osbourne in 1979) and drummer Vinnie Appice. And whole he acknowledged that having another name for a band that had recorded as Black Sabbath "does get confusing," he maintained that it portrays the current group's repertoire more accurately. "I think if we went under the Black Sabbath label it would cause problems along the line," Iommi said. "People would expect us to be playing 'Iron Man' and 'Paranoid' and other stuff from (the Osbourne era), and that wasn't the idea with this lineup. The idea was to play all the stuff we've done with Ronnie, and that's why we're using the different name." Heaven & Hell, which reunited in 2007, is currently on tour in Europe and begins a 15-show North American swing on Aug. 7 in Vancouver. Osbourne has also reached out to Iommi in a public statement released by his publicist, which reads: "Since 1997 when Geezer, Bill (Ward, the group's original drummer) and myself rejoined the band, Black Sabbath has returned to its former glory as we headlined sold-out arenas and amphitheatres playing to upwards of 50,000 people at each show around the world. We worked collectively to restore credibility and bring dignity back to the name 'Black Sabbath,' which lead to the band being inducted into the UK and US Rock & Roll Hall of Fames in 2005 and 2006, respectively...Tony, I am so sorry it's had to get to this point by me having to take this action against you. I don't have the right to speak for Geezer and Bill, but I feel that morally and ethically the trademark should be owned by the four of us equally. I hope that by me taking this first step that it will ultimately end up that way. We've all worked too hard and long in our careers to allow you to sell merchandise that features all our faces, old Black Sabbath album covers and band logos, and then you tell us that you own the copyright. We're all in our 60s now. The Black Sabbath legacy should live on long after we have all gone. Please do the right thing." (Billboard)

Live Nation will eliminate service fees on more than five million lawn tickets and hundreds of concerts for its amphitheaters in a one-day promotion June 3.  The 24 hour sales event is being billed as the biggest ticket promotion ever, which would be hard to dispute. "No Service Fee Wednesdays," begins June 3 at 12:01 a.m., offering fans some of the lowest prices of the summer with no ticket service fees on any LiveNation.com-ticketed amphitheater show, and only at LiveNation.com. A source at Live Nation says service fees typically average about one third of the total ticket cost. Throughout the rest of the summer, Live Nation will offer a variety of "No Service Fee Wednesdays" specials at LiveNation.com. This promotion is not valid in combination with other special pricing offers and is subject to availability. Tickets without service fees are available at all Live Nation-ticketed amphitheaters for concerts including blink-182, Coldplay, No Doubt, Nickelback, Depeche Mode, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Crue Fest, Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick, Kid Rock/Lynyrd Skynyrd, Phish, Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addition, the Dead, Rascal Flatts, and many others. Live Nation has already been tackling the issue of service fees with its in-house ticketing operation launched at the beginning of this year. "We know the fan has been frustrated by the series of successive fees in the purchase process," Live Nation Ticketing CEO Nathan Hubbard tells Billboard.com. "There is attrition in the sales flow once you see your third page with some additional fees. The fan told us they just want to know up front how much the cost of the experience is going to be. We didn’t address that problem completely, but the first step was moving from fan's paying a service fee, you might pay a shipping and handling fee, maybe a print-at-home fee, delivery fee, etc, to consolidating it into a single up-front fee that is there as you cart your inventory." Hubbard says Live Nation Ticketing has sold more than five million tickets since launching in January. (Billboard)

Live Nation, the world's largest concert promoter, is giving cash-strapped fans something to sing about. Starting a minute after midnight Tuesday (12:01 a.m. Wednesday), the company will waive service fees for 24 hours on more than 5 million lawn tickets for amphitheater events ticketed by LiveNation.com. That typically will save ticket buyers about $10 off what are already the cheapest seats available. The promotion will continue throughout the summer with a variety of "No Service Fee Wednesday" specials. Blink-182, Coldplay, No Doubt, Nickelback, Toby Keith, The Killers, Rascal Flatts and The Dead are among the touring acts included. (Daily Record)


MOVIE . . .

Zac Efron really wants to be in girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens's upcoming action flick, Sucker Punch, because he's dying to work with director Zach Snyder. There's just one thing getting in the way: Zac's manhood... "I think it's an all-girl movie," Efron told me backstage at the MTV Movie Awards right after picking up the Golden Popcorn for Best Male Performance for his work in High School Musical 3: Senior Year. "But if there's any way to be in that film, I'd do it. I'd play a girl if I had to." Hudgens, meanwhile, tells me she's hoping to channel some Angelina Jolie for her action-packed work in Sucker Punch. "I'm so stoked about it," she said. "I kept telling everyone, 'I want to do an action film.' But they were like, 'Maybe in a few years.' So I'm like, 'Ha, in your face. I am doing one now!'" Hudgens will shoot Sucker Punch after completing Beastly, which she starts filming this week in Montreal. Meanwhile, her flick Bandslam hits theaters Aug. 14. "It means a lot to me," she said. "I get to play a different character who is a lot darker and very deadpan throughout the whole thing." (Eonline)

Plans to shoot a 3D teen dance movie "Street Dance" by production banner Vertigo Films got a boost after the "Britain's Got Talent" 2009 final show. Winning act "Diversity" and fellow street boppers "Flawless" from the final are both on the roster to star. Producer and Vertigo co-founder James Richardson signed both dance troupes to star in his picture after seeing them perform last year at the U.K. Street Dance Championships in July long before the duo wowed mainstream television audiences alongside Susan Boyle et al. Due to shoot in August this year, "Street Dance" follows the exploits of a dance crew in training for the Street Dance Championships, who are forced to work with ballet dancers from the Royal Dance School in return for rehearsal space. Despite having no common ground they join forces to find a way to win. Directed by promo duo Max and Darnia, "Street Dance" is from a screenplay by Jane English and will be pushed out by Vertigo in the U.K." 'Street Dance' is a global phenomenon and we want this film to showcase to the world the extraordinary talents of British street dancers," Richardson said. Last year's "Britain's Got Talent" winner George Sampson will also make his debut big screen appearance, producers said. (Hollywood Reporter)

Duncan Jones will direct "Escape From The Deep," from a script penned by Brit author, journalist and scriptwriter Alex Kershaw based on the non-fiction tome of the same name, backers said Monday. Jones, who made his feature directorial debut with the Sam Rockwell-starrer "Moon," is to get behind the lens for the story of a legendary World War II U.S. navy submarine that sank after a torpedo malfunction leaving the crew stranded on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Faced with drowning, nine men made it out alive after swimming the 180 feet to the surface without getting the bends. The movie will be produced by U.S. production banner Brilliant Films, which is also developing the project via the company's in-house development cash pool. Brilliant Films president Joe Abrams said Jones' directorial debut marked his arrival as a director to watch. Jones, whose father is rock legend David Bowie and worked with Tony Scott in his early career, described Kershaw's book as a "powerful story that will come alive on the big screen." He said he hopes to create a "tense action movie" from the story. Sony Pictures Classics snapped up North American rights to "Moon" after it unspooled during the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It will debut here during the Edinburgh International Film Festival later this month. Brilliant's Joe Abrams and Rory Gilmartin will produce "Escape." (Hollywood Reporter)


TV . . .

Miley Cyrus won't be disappearing from the limelight anytime soon. Sorry! The folks over at the Disney Channel have just put in the order for a fourth season of Hannah Montana, which will begin shooting in early 2010. So what's on board for the new season? Disney released the following statement today: "Miley and the producers have proposed a change of setting for Season Four that will provide the catalyst for wonderful new characters and further expand the storytelling opportunities." (Perez Hilton)

Those two are not kidding! After just two days of filming I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here in Costa Rica, Heidi and Spencer Pratt have quit the show TWICE! According to a production source, Speidi took their mics off and exited the jungle, yet reluctantly returned for night. On the second day of shooting, they walked out again but have since yet again been persuaded to competing for their respective charities. This is way too much drama for the jungle! In the premiere episode, Heidi breaks down crying, Spencer walks off the set and Patti Blageovich almost drowns! (Perez Hilton)

Much like fruit picked straight off the tree, the best "Celebrity Rehab" patients are the ones straight from jail. TMZ has learned Tom Sizemore, who was arrested early Thursday morning on an outstanding warrant, checked into Dr. Drew's house on Friday to begin taping the third season of the show. Making the addition of Sizemore particularly interesting is that one of his fellow castmates is Heidi Fleiss -- Sizemore's ex-girlfriend whom he was convicted of assaulting back in 2003. Awk-ward! We're told Fleiss didn't take too kindly to Sizemore appearing on the show, and she didn't come out of her room for sometime after he showed up. (TMZ)

The Southern California woman who gave birth to the world's longest-surviving set of octuplets has signed a deal to star in a reality television series, her lawyer said Sunday. Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to the six boys and two girls in January and also has six other children, agreed to be filmed for a proposed television show by 3Ball Prods., attorney Jeff Czech said. The company, which is a subsidiary of Amsterdam-based Eyeworks International, hasn't yet sold the show to any American television network, he said. The show will be modeled after a successful Eyeworks TV series in Denmark that documents the lives of four children from the day they were born until they become adults. "They came up with this idea, presented to her and she liked it because she'll get to use a camera and do some of the filming herself," Czech told The Associated Press. He said film crews will not follow Suleman and her children 24 hours a day, but will document certain milestones such as birthdays and special events. "It'll be less intrusive than a reality TV type of program," Czech said. A call to 3Ball wasn't immediately returned Sunday. The Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based company is the creator such reality TV shows as "The Biggest Loser," "For Love Or Money" and "Beauty & The Geek." (Hollywood Reporter)

Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals lifted NBC to first place on a repeats-ridden Sunday night. The hockey game, in which the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2-0 lead in the series, averaged 2.3 rating/7 share among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m. Factoring in the 1.1 rating/4 share for "Dateline Sunday" at 7 p.m., NBC averaged 2.0/6 for the night in 18-49, barely edging Fox (1.9/6), which aired reruns of its animated comedies. CBS, which ran the most original non-sports programming on Sunday with "60 Minutes" (1.1/4) and "Million Dollar Password" (1.1/3) didn't get much traction with its fresh offerings from 7-9 p.m., which trailed most major network competition. CBS still finished tops in total viewers for the night, averaging 7.2 million viewers. (Hollywood Reporter)