WebProNews

Author: Pam Wright

  • Tom Brokaw Remembers the Fall of the Berlin Wall on Its 25th Anniversary

    Tom Brokaw was on hand the day the Berlin Wall came down 25 years ago today — the only network news anchor to report live from the scene.

    Brokaw, best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004, says it was a day when all of the stars aligned.

    “When we went, we had no idea the wall would fall on our watch,” Brokaw told Today‘s Erica Hill, in a report commemorating the anniversary. “It was one of those times in a journalists’ life when everything breaks in the right way.”

    Brokow, who announced in February that he has bone cancer, recounted that no one knew when the wall would come down, but he and his team were prepared just in case.

    “We had no idea the wall would fall on our watch,” Browkaw said.

    Few can forget the meaning of the day that symbolically ended the Cold War, but for younger audiences, Brokow offered an analogy.

    “Think about dividing California in half, and for 45 years the northern half has to live behind a wall like San Quentin, and the southern half can go about being Southern California,” he said. “That’s what they were.”

    Brokow said the feeling of seeing the wall coming down was “absolutely palpable.”

    In Today‘s report, a flashback clip is shown, with a voiceover of Brokow expressing the importance of the year 1989, when America’s fight against Communism was effectively over.

    “I guess I always thought that 1968 would be the most memorable year of my journalistic career. The deaths of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., the invasion of Czechoslovakia, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, of course. But 1989, think about what we have witnessed this year, the wall has effectively come down.”

  • Anna Faris Thinks She’s Funnier Than Husband Chris Pratt, But Confesses She Just Can’t Tell a Joke

    Anna Faris confessed recently that, although known for her comedic skills, she just cannot tell a joke.

    The actress, who is known for her role as dumb blond Cindy Campbell in the Scary Movie film franchise, told British magazine Grazia via Cover Media that telling a joke doesn’t come easily to her. But, she concedes that portraying funny ladies brings much joy to her life.

    “I don’t even know how to tell a joke well,” Faris told the magazine. “[But doing comedy] made me a happier person.”

    Faris’ husband — Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt — can be pretty darn hilarious, too, according to the Mom actress.

    “Oh golly. Chris is a really funny guy. We both started out playing very stupid people and there’s something interesting in that. I hope people’s impressions are that we’re jovial. They probably have low expectations anyway.

    “I’m funnier,” she added.

    Like many new moms of a certain age in Hollywood, Faris worried that having children would end her career. She and Pratt are parents to two-year-old Jack, and instead of ending her career, she found that becoming a mother gave her the experience and funny fodder that comes in handy for her current television show, Mom.

    “After I had my baby when I was 36, I was like, ‘Is my run over?’ My husband’s career was going crazy and I was, like, ‘Maybe I’ll try and do some writing… then I can be at home with my son.’ That’s when Mom came along,” she said.

    Faris believes Mom, which co-stars 54-year-old Allison Janney and Jaime Pressly, is unique. It follows the exploits of Faris’ character Christy — a newly sober, single mom trying to navigate life with the help of friends and family.

    “Our show has two women who aren’t young. That’s remarkable in itself. We were doing this scene where Allison and I are in the car with Octavia Spencer and Mimi Kennedy, and it was like, we’re not talking about boys. We’re talking about driving Octavia to jail. When was the last time this happened? Four women, over 30, in a car, not talking about boys,” she said.

  • Brooke Shields Says Ex-Husband, Andre Agassi, Flew Into Rage Over Finger-Licking Scene With Matt LeBlanc

    Brooke Shields has shared some surprising details of events from her relationship with former husband Andre Agassi in a new memoir.

    The Suddenly Susan actress claims in her memoir, There Was A Little Girl: The Real Story Of Mother And Me, that ex-husband Andre Agassi was so enraged when she licked the fingers of Matt LeBlanc for a guest appearance on Friends that he destroyed his entire trophy collection, including his US Open and Wimbledon cups.

    Remember the scene? It’s the one about a stalker (Shields) who believes Joey (LeBlanc) is actually Doctor Drake Ramoray. During the dinner scene, Brookes’ character Erica licks the fingers of LeBlanc and then cackles like a true creeper.

    According to Shields in her memoir, Agassi was watching the scene unfold on the sound stage, flew into a rage and claimed Shields had “made him look a fool.”

    Agassi allegedly jumped into his car and went home to take out his frustration on his trophies.

    “Upon arrival he systematically smashed and destroyed every single trophy he had won, including Wimbledon and the US Open, never mind all the others,” she wrote.

    Shields and Agassi were married two years later, despite the red-flag incident. In her memoir, she calls the marriage a “mistake” and recalls how she had doubts even on the day she became Mrs. Agassi.

    “I could not form a sentence,” wrote Brooke. “I kept shaking my head as if I had duct tape across my mouth. It hit me all of a sudden — I knew I had made a mistake. I did not want to be married … I wanted to be a bride but I shouldn’t have been married yet.”

    It seems the former couple agree that the wedding day and two-year marriage was a mistake. Agassi said in his own autobiography, Open, that he felt the same misgivings on his wedding day to Shields.

    “I have a thought no man should have on his wedding day: I wish I were leaving too. I wish I had a decoy groom to take my place,” he wrote.

    Well, the good news is things seemed to have worked out well for both of them. Shields is now married to Chris Henchy, with whom she has two daughters, 10-year-old Rowan and seven-year-old Grier. As for Agassi, he is happily married to tennis great Steffi Graf, with whom he has a son, Jaden Gil, and a daughter, Jaz Elle.

  • Kristy McNichol, Popular Actress of the 70s and 80s, Explains Why She Walked Away From Hollywood

    Kristy McNichol, 52, was one of the most popular actresses during the 1970s and 80s when she suddenly decided to walk away from Hollywood.

    It came as quite a shock for fans of her movies, which included the wildly popular Little Darlings with Tatum O’Neill and Matt Dillon, and TV shows like Family and Empty Nest.

    On Wednesday night, McNichol attended a cast reunion of another popular show of the era in which she frequently guest-starred — the Love Boat. The cast came together to celebrate 50 years of Princess Cruises and to christen a new Regal Princess cruise ship.

    During the celebration, McNichol told People Magazine in an interview that she left show business to “see what else was out there.”

    “I was on the big stage between ages eight and 30,” said McNichol. “I left show business for a variety of reasons, but a big one was my interest in learning what else there is in life.”

    The former actress said that during her self-imposed hiatus from acting she discovered “yoga, traveling, an increased awareness of spirituality and a quiet home life,” according to People. She also works for United Way.

    “This phase of my life is so good,” she told the magazine. “My home life is happy and serene. I love singing. I also enjoy traveling and seeing the world. One of my favorite stops is Hawaii. I like everything about it and may eventually move there part-time.”

    McNichol shared that she loved catching up with all the Love Boat celebrities.

    “I was most excited to see Rich Little, who always makes me laugh,” she says. “He was talking about losing his hair and got me laughing hysterically. He looks fabulous, and so does Charo. She is unreal, with all that energy!”

    McNichol said that a friendship with Happy Days‘ Scott Baio that she developed on the set of the popular television show has remained a favorite memory from those by-gone days.

    “We met during shooting, and for the next three years we hung out off set, too,” McNichol says. “We became real friends, good buddies. We did things together like ride around in his red Cadillac. We had so much fun. I wished he could have come to this celebration, but he was busy.”

    Asked if she would consider returning to acting, the former teen idol gave a little hope to fans who remember her well.

    “Never say never,” she said.

  • Is Miley Cyrus Dead? No, But Death Hoax May Lead Viewers to Malicious Fake Facebook Message

    Miley Cyrus is allegedly dead. That is, a fake Facebook message makes one think the pop star died “some 48 minutes ago.”

    Softpedia reports that earlier this week, a Facebook message was making its rounds on the internet with a link to a video that provided details of Cyrus’ supposed death from an overdose..

    The thumbnail apparently looks real enough, but when the duped person clicks on the image, they are taken to a malicious version of the Facebook website, according to Online Threat Alerts. Once there, viewers are asked to complete surveys and/or share the link with their online friends.

    This will just spread the hoax further as their Facebook friends may then receive their own fake message, which is the ultimate goal of these survey companies.

    The image used may seem legit to Cryrus-fan neophytes because it actually comes from the controversial music video, Blonde SuperFreak Steals the Magic Brain, which features the 21-year-old singer and Flaming Lips in several scenes depicting an overdose.

    Back in July, a similar death hoax made its rounds about Cyrus, with the headline “{SHOCKING) Miley Cyrus Found Dead in Her Los Angeles Home! Country singer Miley Cyrus found overdosed this afternoon in her Los Angeles home,” according to Hollywood Life.

    There have been several other celebrity death hoaxes over the past months, including some that have suggested that Taylor Swift, Macaulay Culkin, Judd Nelson, Nancy Reagan and even, JLo have died.

    Keep these hoaxes in mind when supposed news of a celebrity’s death hits social media. Check first with legitimate news sources before clicking on any social media links.

  • Leah Still, the 4-Year-Old Daughter of Cincinnati Bengals’ Devon Still, Brings Inspiration in Her Fight Against Cancer

    Leah Still, the four-year-old daughter of Cincinnati Bengals‘ Devon Still, who is battling cancer, brought a ray of hope to the Cincinnati-Cleveland game Thursday night, despite the defeat her daddy’s team suffered.

    Before the game, Devon shared about what it meant to have his daughter on hand for her first NFL game.

    “Having her finally have the chance to come out here and feeling good health-wise… is going to be a great feeling,” Still told Cincinnati’s 9 On Your Side Thursday afternoon before the game.

    “I’ve learned to keep my emotions intact as time has gone on — as everything has happened with my daughter. I know everything is going to be pretty emotional.”

    Fans on both sides of Ohio were united in cheering on the little girl with the big heart. As Devon warmed up, cameras caught the twosome exchanging sweet waves with each other.

    “It just brought a smile to my face,” Devon told the NFL Network following game.

    Little Leah has been undergoing treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia since June, so her homecoming was extra sweet.

    “I always look forward to those feelings whether I’m traveling back to Philadelphia or she’s coming out here,” Still said Thursday. “Just to see her running to my arms is always a great feeling.”

    Leah wasn’t just there to watch her dad play football. The Bengals decided to sell Devon’s No. 75 jerseys for $100, with proceeds going to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for pediatric cancer research. They ended up selling 14,945 jerseys for a total of $1.3 million. Leah was there to accept the check on behalf of other children like her who are afflicted with pediatric cancer.

    “Today is going to be a bunch of good emotions just knowing that my daughter is there and that the check presentation is because of her,” Still said.

    Dressed in the uniform of her beloved Ben-Gals cheerleaders, which they had specially made for her complete with her dad’s No. 75 in glitter on the front, Leah stood next to another hometown hero, Lauren Hill, who is dying of brain cancer and played her first and last college basketball game on Sunday.

    Devon said seeing his daughter standing alongside Hill was probably the highlight of the evening.

    “I can tell by the she was smiling on the jumbotron that she had a lot of fun up there. I’m pretty sure she’s going to tell me all about her day meeting the cheerleaders and getting to be in the press box,” Devon said.

    Devon said he’s proud of his girl. Surely Cleveland joins all of Cincinnati in being proud of her, as well.

    “These past couple days made her day. You have no idea. I haven’t seen my daughter smile this much in a long time. I do appreciate everyone chipping in to help put a smile on her face,” he said. “She loves the camera. She thinks she’s a movie star.”

  • Selena Gomez Opens Up About Justin Bieber and Why ‘The Heart Wants What It Wants’

    Selena Gomez opened up about her tumultuous relationship with Justin Bieber, just days after the release of the new single and emotionally raw video of The Heart Wants What it Wants has put her fans in a tailspin of worry over their darling girl.

    The former Disney alum opened up about their relationship and the cryptic song during an On Air With Ryan Seacrest interview on Thursday.

    “Everybody wants to form their own opinions anyway,” she told Seacrest. “I think the biggest problem I had this year — even with [Justin] and on his side — is identity.”

    The couple seemed to be the darlings of the tabloids in 2011 until Bieber started to get into some trouble, and then the 20-year-old singer’s fans began to question whether she couldn’t do better for herself, according to the Los Angeles Times.

    “I was trying to figure out what I’m doing, and that was the first time I was constantly being kicked down for doing that,” Gomez said.

    “When I didn’t know, I just wanted to say, ‘This is what I want, this is where I am in my professional life, things changed in my personal life, things changed in my heart — everything.’

    “And people just thought, ‘All right, this is what we think.’ And yeah, I made some decisions that weren’t great as well, and so did he, and that’s why we went through all that to only make us better.”

    Gomez admitted that the emotional voiceover in the video’s opening — in which she cries over a relationship — was a real event that was recorded unbeknownst to her.

    “They taped the mic underneath the table when I was shooting the video,” Gomez said while holding back tears. “And I had shot the video over a year ago. So, in that state — where I was in that place emotionally — I went in and I went into the room by myself, and I looked at the actual mirror in the music video, and I had a conversation [with] myself to every question I had in my mind in that moment: ‘Wow, this feeling changes everything and you can’t help it.’”

    “[I learned] how to love myself first. And not just in a relationship, just my everyday life,” said Gomez. “I give myself so much, I let people pull at me in every direction, and I want everybody to be happy. Eventually I would be in my bathroom sobbing right before I go onstage.”

    Gomez conceded that instead of taking the time to care for herself, she just kept pushing through the pain, confusion and heartbreak. She said that, today, she handles things very differently.

    “I kept pushing myself, and I think the biggest thing I learned is, it’s OK. I’m going to stop when I need to stop, I’m going to feel when I need to feel, and I don’t care what comes with that or what people want to say. It’s normal.”

    Gomez told Seacrest when Bieber heard the new track for the first time and saw the video, “He thought it was beautiful.”

    “I think it was really hard. I think he was a little jealous of the video guy at first,” Gomez joked.

    Unfortunately, Gomez wouldn’t put speculation to bed by disclosing whether the twosome were back together. Instead, she just explained what her heart wants.

    “I support him. I think I always will. I’m upset when he’s upset, I’m happy when he’s happy. I don’t want anything bad ever to happen to him. It hurts me. That’s all,” she said.

  • Heidi Montag Reaches Out to Troubled Amanda Bynes, Offering Her a Place to Stay

    Heidi Montag has reached out to troubled actress Amanda Bynes, offering her a place to stay.

    The former The Hills star made her offer after photos of the beleaguered actress sleeping on a couch at the Beverly Center shopping mall in Los Angeles were released on Thursday.

    Earlier in the day, Bynes tweeted that she wasn’t given money for a hotel from her parents, so she has been staying with friends and fell asleep on the mall couch.

    TMZ reported on Thursday that Bynes’ mother, Lynn, is relinquishing the conservatorship over her daughter because she just can’t handle it anymore. Apparently, a mental health professional better equipped to care for Bynes will take over, while a money manager will take over Bynes’ finances.

    On Tuesday, it was reported that Bynes’ parents were giving her $50 and $100 gift cards to get by rather than cash.

    The actress, who was reportedly diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, has been tweeting a slew of disgruntled tweets about her family’s control over her money. A judge gave conservatorship of her assets to her parents last month after the actress displayed more and more disturbing behavior, which was attributed to her mental illness.

    The 28-year-old was released from the Las Encinas psychiatric facility on Oct. 30.

  • Judi Dench Reveals That She Has a Famous Person’s Name Tattooed on Her … Butt?

    Judi Dench‘s cool rating just went up a notch after revealing that she had a famous person’s name tattooed on her very British bum.

    The Oscar-winning actress shared the story of how Harvey Weinstein’s name ended up indelibly inked on her butt at the 2014 Britannia Awards in Beverly Hill, according to Deadline Hollywood.

    It seems that early on in her career, someone famous, whom she did not name immediately, told her that she would never be a film actress.

    “You’ll never make a film because your face isn’t quite properly arranged,” Dench recalled the person as saying.

    The Philomena actress said it took her another 36 years before she was able to prove to that person that she could be a very successful film actress, thank you very much.

    It was many years later that Miramax’s Weinstein acquired the British television production of Mrs. Brown, in which Dench brilliantly played the role of Mrs. Brown, and released it in theaters. The film ended up grossing $13 million and Dench finally proven to Weinstein that she could be successful in film.

    “Blessed Harvey Weinstein, whose tattoo I still have on my bum, said it would be a proper [theatrical] film and it was,” she announced to the surprised crowd, which immediately burst into laughter.

    “Well, he asked for that,” said Dench, mocking indignation.

    Dench made the announcement during her acceptance speech for the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award For Worldwide Contribution. Following the hilarious revelation, Dench thanked the James Bond producer and award’s namesake.

    “I do owe the Broccoli family, and I had the most sensational time making the James Bond films, and I am so proud this should be his award,” said the actress, who played 007’s boss, M, in several Bond films.

  • Olivia Munn Says the Secret to Balancing Career and Love Is ‘Making Concessions’

    Olivia Munn, 34, thinks she may have the secret to balancing career and love.

    The Newsroom actress shared how she and her Green Bay Packers boyfriend Aaron Rodgers make their relationship work during a recent red-carpet interview with E! News.

    “You just end up making those concessions,” Munn explained. “You make decisions because it can’t all be work and it can’t all be your personal life, especially when you’ve worked so hard to have a career.”

    The Iron Man 2 actress conceded that it’s tricky business trying to arrange their hectic schedules and says some decisions have to be made to protect their relationship.

    “There’s a lot of traveling, a lot of driving, and then you’re just really happy with the decisions that you make. And for me, it comes at a time in my life when I end up having to say no to some work because I gotta be somewhere else,” said Munn, who plays Sloan Sabbith on the political drama The Newsroom.

    “It doesn’t make me sad or anything, because I want my life to be full and have all those experiences, so you kind of figure it out as you go.”

    Munn likes to display the “special ring” that Rodgers offered her after six months of dating.

    “This is a gift from my boyfriend, actually,” gushed Munn. “I wore this for a premiere, and he had heard me talking to my stylist about being obsessed with it. It is such a special ring, and then he surprised me.”

    However, she makes it clear that it’s not “that kind of ring.”

    “It’s not the special ring. I mean, it’s a very special ring, but it is not the special ring,” she said.

  • Valerie Bertinelli Recounts the Day She Was Dissed by Christina Aguilera

    Valerie Bertinelli has set the record straight on rumors of a reported age-old feud with Christina Aguilera.

    In an interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live! Wednesday night, Bertinelli said the long-time rumored feud is just not true.

    However, the Hot in Cleveland actress did admit to having a rather negative encounter with The Voice judge back in the day.

    “I did not have a feud with her,” said Bertinelli. She proceeded to tell the story of an encounter that may have fueled the rumors.

    “No, I didn’t have a feud with her,” Bertinelli insisted when her Hot in Cleveland co-star Jane Leeves suggested that she “make something up.”

    Post by Valerie Bertinelli.

    The 54-year-old actress went on to tell the story as she remembers it.

    “I was a fan at that time, a long time ago, and I went up to her because she was at a Van Halen concert, and I said, ‘Oh my God, I think you’re a beautiful singer, blah blah blah,’ and she just went like [she made an over-her-head motion], ‘Yah, whatever,’

    “She gave me the cold shoulder and I thought, ‘Bitch, I’m a fan! You can’t be nice to me?’ You know?”

    A photo posted by Christina Aguilera (@xtina) on

    Bertinelli was asked if she has seen Aguilera since the encounter, to which the actress said, “I have not. She might have gotten better—but I heard she hasn’t.”

    OK, if there wasn’t a feud before…

    Bertinelli has received some backlash from Xtina fans on Twitter following her remarks. But, she’s decided to just “shake it off.”

  • Hugh Hefner’s Son Shares What It Was Like Growing Up in the Playboy Mansion

    Hugh Hefner‘s son, Cooper, says he had a normal childhood growing up in the Playboy Mansion, despite the numerous and infamous Playboy parties that happened in his home.

    This week, Cooper took Business Insider on a tour of the home where he grew up.

    Cooper, 23, said his dad went to great lengths to protect his kids from the debauchery of the parties that happened at the Playboy Mansion.

    “We were kept away from the parties while we were growing up when we were younger,” he said. “Like any other 13, 14, 15-year-old, if you’re upstairs and your parents are having a Christmas party, you’re going to sneak down and try to figure out why you aren’t allowed at the party.”

    Cooper said the famous pool Grotto, which is where many drug and alcohol-fueled orgies reportedly occurred, had a very different meaning to Cooper.

    In his young mind, the Grotto represented an adventurous place to pretend he was on an Indiana Jones-style adventure.

    He also said he loved the mansion’s zoo full of exotic animals and the games of hide-and-seek played in the forest of redwood trees found on the property.

    Hugh Hefner, 88, is not necessarily the lecher imagined. Instead, he is someone who cares deeply for those close to him. An example of his kindness is his recent support of former Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson when her marriage woes became public. Hefner reportedly let Wilkinson know that he is there for her and she is welcome at the Playboy Mansion any time.

  • Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen Welcome Daughter Briar Rose

    Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen have welcomed a baby girl.

    The couple’s daughter, Briar Rose Christensen, was born on Oct. 29, Bilson’s representative confirmed to the Associated Press on Thursday.

    Mother and daughter are healthy and doing well, confirms Bilson’s rep.

    Briar Rose — who is the first child for the Hart of Dixie actress and the Star Wars actor — has a name fit for a princess. It was the nickname that the three fairies called Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. And just like every fairy tale, dreams really do come true.

    “I’ve always wanted to be a mom,” Bilson told Health magazine before she became pregnant. “I have always wanted kids. I can just see this little toddler waddling around the house.”

    Bilson, 33, and Christensen, 33, first met when they co-starred in the sci-fi film Jumper in 2008. The pair became engaged in December 2008, However, they broke up in August 2010 and then, happily, reconciled three months later in August 2010.

    The couple — who have always kept their romance private — are very supportive of the No Kids Policy, which is a celebrity group organized to protect children of celebrities from being photographed without consent. So it’s not likely we will see any photos of little Briar Rose anytime soon.

    “Both mother and baby are healthy and doing well. They are asking for privacy and subscribe to the No Kids Policy,” said the couple in a statement.

    News of Bilson’s pregnancy was announced in May.

    CW’s Hart of Dixie will return for its fourth season in January.

  • Valeria Lukyanova, aka the Human Barbie, Reportedly Assaulted in the Ukraine

    Valeria Lukyanova, aka the Human Barbie, was reportedly assaulted by two men outside of her home in the Ukraine, according to The Daily Mail.

    Some posts on social media have speculated that the injuries she revealed to the magazine are a result of plastic surgery, but Lukyanova, 28, denies those accusations.

    Lukyanova claims she was attacked on Halloween night by two complete strangers and has been hospitalized from Friday through Tuesday, Nov. 4.

    “I came back home from a shop with bags and entered the door code when two men rushed from the dark and attacked me,” Lukyanova told the magazine. “They said nothing and did not try to rob me. It happened in a flash, they hit me on the head, several times on my jaw, then one of them began strangling me.”

    The model claims the men ran away when a neighbor appeared on the scene.

    “I don’t know what would have happened,” she said. “I feel a little better, but my jaw is still hurting badly. I have been on the strongest painkiller for four days, but still woke in the middle of the night from horrible pains.”

    In the past, Lukyanova has said she has never undergone any plastic surgery except a breast augmentation.

    “All genetics came to me from nature, except my breasts,” she said. “I lost weight and, unfortunately, I have a very small breasts. I had to increase my size to feel like a normal girl. But I didn’t subject myself to any other plastic surgery.”

    Lukyanova told the magazine that since she rose to fame two years ago because of her uncanny resemblance to the famed doll, she has received numerous threats.

  • Laura Dern, Judd Apatow to Produce Comedy Based on ‘Obsessive Female Football Fans’

    Laura Dern and Girls producer Judd Apatow are teaming up with Universal studios to produce a comedy centered around “obsessive female football fans,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

    Dern came up with the concept for the ensemble piece and Pam Barker — who collaborated with Trey Parker and Matt Stone on South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut and co-wrote Hamlet 2 — will write the screenplay.

    Dern and Apatow are producing the comedy, along with Bridesmaids producer Barry Mendel.

    Dern most recently starred in The Fault in Our Stars with Shailene Woodley and Wild with Reese Witherspoon, and she co-created and starred in HBO’s Enlightened. She also appeared in 99 Homes, a drama that was featured at Toronto’s film festival.

    Apatow directed Trainwreck, which was written by and stars Amy Schumer and will be released in summer 2015.

    Eric Baiers, Universal’s senior vice president of production, will oversee the project.

    Most recently, the Golden Globe winner portrays the troubled mother to Witherspoon‘s character in Wild, which recounts the real-life adventures of Cheryl Strayed. After years of reckless behavior as a heroin addict and the destruction of her marriage, Cheryl decides to go on a solo journey along the Pacific Crest Trail.

    Haunted by memories of her mother, Bobbi (Dern), Strayed sets out with absolutely no experience to hike the thousand-mile journey that terrifies, frustrates, strengthens, and ultimately heals her.

  • Maureen O’Hara Cries at the Thought of the Honorary Oscar She’s Receiving

    Maureen O’Hara, 94, will receive her first Oscar Saturday as one of this year’s recipients of honorary Academy Awards.

    She’ll accept her Oscar at the film academy’s Governors Awards ceremony Saturday night. Other honorees include Hayao Miyazaki, Jean-Claude Carriere and Harry Belafonte.

    The legendary redhead said she cried when she first heard the news, and can’t seem to stop.

    “It’s just absolutely wonderful,” she said. “I keep thinking, ‘Oh, this is a league of baloney. They’re not telling me the truth.’”

    The legendary beauty has made more than 60 films since her big-screen debut in 1938, including John Ford’s 1941 best picture winner, How Green Was My Valley. She starred in several John Wayne films, including Rio Grande, The Wings of Eagles, and a self-proclaimed favorite, The Quiet Man. She’s also known for her roles in the original Miracle on 34th Street and Sentimental Journey.

    “Making movies is a wonderful experience,” she said. “It’s wonderful the stories that you fall in love with and you make and they wind up being very successful, and it breaks your heart almost. I don’t mean with sadness. It breaks your heart with joy.”

    O’Hara admitted that she did do it for the money.

    “As kids — and anybody who says they don’t love this, they’re fibbers — we loved making the money,” she said.

    The Irish actress is preparing for the big night, wondering how and who to thank when she receives her Oscar.

    “It’s hard to know how you’re going to say thank you to all the people you should say thank you to,” she said, “so it’s going to be very difficult.”

    She said she already has a place picked out in her home for her well-deserved trophy — on the mantel of her fireplace “high enough so one of the kids can’t knock it down!”

    Highlights from Saturday’s dinner ceremony will be included in the 2015 Academy Awards telecast in February.

  • Candy Spelling Responds to Dean McDermott’s Shocking Revelations, Including He’s Leaving ‘True Tori’

    Candy Spelling has responded to some statements Dean McDermott made during a very surprising interview on Access Hollywood Live.

    On Wednesday, McDermott – who said he has contemplated suicide and is leaving his Lifetime series True Tori – was asked, among other things, about his family’s relationship with Candy Spelling, Tori’s mom.

    Billy Bush and Kit Hoover asked McDermott if he and Tori ever received any of Candy’s late husband’s estate.

    “In my recovery, all I can be is honest and no. No. There’s no financial help,” McDermott said.

    Following the interview, Candy’s rep refuted McDermott’s claims.

    “Candy has provided financial help in the past and has offered repeatedly to pay for the children’s private schooling and Tori has never told her where to send the money,” her rep said in a statement to Access.

    McDermott also claimed the family rarely sees Candy.

    “We see [Candy] about eight times a year — holidays and kids’ birthdays.”

    However, Candy’s rep said she doesn’t see her family as often as she would like through no fault of her own.

    “Candy reaches out often to see them and unfortunately Tori and Dean are not often responsive,” her rep continued.

    The biggest bombshell of the interview is McDermott’s announcement that he is leaving True Tori for his health.

    “I’m not going to continue with the show,” McDermott said. “We have five more shows left… I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep opening a vein, opening my soul and sharing my feelings and thoughts and demons with the world.”

  • Amanda Knox, Who Knows a Thing or Two About a Media Circus, Lands Job As a Journalist

    Amanda Knox has first-hand experience of the insanity that ensues as the center of a media maelstrom, and now she’s going to experience the flip side of journalism in her new position as a freelance writer.

    Knox, the former college student who became a celebrity after being accused of murdering her roommate in Italy in 2007, has just landed a gig as a freelance writer for The West Seattle Herald.

    “We approached her originally to give her the opportunity of a normal life,” said her editor, Patrick Robinson.

    “Amanda’s a very bright, very capable, highly qualified writer. . . She’s certainly been through as lot and been very easy to work with and very interested and eager in doing stories.”

    So far in her budding career as a cub reporter, she has covered local news and written a few theater reviews.

    Knox and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were found guilty in 2009 of killing Knox’s roommate Meredith Kercher. Two years later, she was acquitted on appeal, released from prison and returned to her native Seattle.

    In an unexpected turn of events, her acquittal was overturned in January in an Italian court and she was once again found guilty.

    It is unknown whether she will be extradited back to Italy, where she was sentenced to 28 years in prison.

    Italy’s highest court is set to look at the case again next spring.

    Until a decision is made on her fate, Knox will continue to work on her degree in creative writing from the University of Washington and work as a reporter.

  • Amanda Bynes, Reportedly Suffering From Bipolar Disorder, Goes on Twitter Rant

    Amanda Bynes, who was reportedly diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and is on medication, has once again taken to Twitter with some confusing statements.

    On Tuesday, the beleaguered actress tweeted that she had been diagnosed with the disorder, but a subsequent tweet, which has since been deleted, seemed to insinuate that it wasn’t she who posted the tweet with the diagnoses.

    “I was at a friends apartment last night and one of my friends tweeted my phone,” the subsequent post said. “sorry guys ”

    The 28-year-old actress made headlines in October with bizarre behavior and posts on Twitter, in which she accused her father of emotional and physical abuse. Those posts have since been removed.

    Since then, she was involuntarily hospitalized after a ruse was concocted by her parents to get her to the hospital. She was later held for a longer period after doctors determined she was not well enough to be discharged.

    Later, a conservatorship hearing was held and a judge ruled that her parents would have control over her assets.

    Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, causes intense emotional periods called “mood episodes.” These range from manic (extremely happy) to depressive (extremely sad).

    The disorder often appears in the late teens or early 20s and can be controlled with medication.

    Since Tuesday, a slew of confusing tweets have been posted by Bynes.

  • Jessica Biel’s Pregnancy Reportedly Confirmed, the Actress and Justin Timberlake to Become First-Time Parents

    Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake are going to become parents in the spring, and Us Weekly is calling it a done deal after several sources confirmed the pregnancy to the magazine.

    “Right now they are just enjoying the news for themselves,” a source told Us. “They just want a happy baby.”

    Family is important to the power couple, who married in 2012 after a five-year, on-again-off-again relationship.

    “It’s weird because it feels like almost nothing has changed, yet something that you can’t really describe, or something that isn’t tangible, has changed,” the 32-year-old actress told Ellen DeGeneres of married life when she returned from her honeymoon. “It just feels incredible.”

    Timberlake echoed his wife’s sentiments on his own visit to DeGeneres’ show in April 2013.

    “It’s nice to marry your best friend. It suits me,” the 33-year-old singer said at the time. “Every once in a while I can catch a glimpse of her when she doesn’t see me looking, and I have this moment where I’m like, ‘If you never make a good decision…if you only make bad decisions for the rest of your life. You made one really good decision.’”

    Three weeks ago, Timberlake posted a photo of himself and Biel to Instagram for the first time since the two got together —showing the couple sitting on a bench overlooking the ocean in New Zealand, where the pop star was on tour.

    "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." –Ferris

    A photo posted by Justin Timberlake (@justintimberlake) on

    Rumors of Biel’s pregnancy began last month when photos surfaced of Biel’s baby bump, as well as an Instagram photo posted by InStyle editor-in-chief Ariel Foxman, who captioned the image, “Congrats @jessicabiel on your impending motherhood. Looking forward to the red carpet maternity style pix to come #tbt.” The image has since been deleted.

  • Katie Melua Has Spider That Took Up Residence in Her Ear Removed

    Katie Melua has revealed that she had a live spider who took up residence in her ear removed by a doctor.

    The revelation of the disturbing news came via a video the British singer posted of the creature on her Instagram account, with the caption, “So I had a rustling in my ear for a week and went to the doctor. This little fella is what they found!”

    Melua said she believes the spider climbed into earbud headphones she had used on a recent flight.

    The spider was reportedly removed using a micro-vacuum. The singer then took the spider home alive and released it in her garden.

    “The ear specialist said he’d never in his career taken out a live bug before. Plenty of dead ones. When it was out, it was pretty tiny,” said a spokeswoman for the singer.

    “Basically I used these old in-ear monitors to block out sound on a flight, little spider must have been in them and crawled inside my ear and stayed there for the week. It was no hassle at all, apart from the occasional shuffling noises…,” wrote Melua.

    Melua is best known for her hits Nine Million Bicycles and The Closest Thing to Crazy.

    Does anyone else have suddenly itchy ears right now?