Top Story: Another Osbourne Enters Rehab
Following in brother Jack‘s footsteps, it’s Kelly Osbourne‘s turn to go into rehab. The 19-year-old daughter of rocker Ozzy Osbourne and wife Sharon entered a California drug rehabilitation clinic Friday to deal with an addiction to painkillers, Reuters reports. Promoting the upcoming third season of MTV’s The Osbournes, Sharon Osbourne told CNN’s Larry King Live that the couple confronted their daughter early on Friday after the family was contacted by an English tabloid seeking comment on a picture in which Kelly appeared to be buying drugs. “She admitted it after a lot of twisting,” she told CNN. “Literally, a couple of hours ago, she was admitted to rehab.” Ozzy, an admitted drug addict and alcoholic who has spent time in rehabilitation clinics himself, said he had asked Kelly repeatedly if she used drugs, but she denied it. “I can’t believe we were buying into it,” he said. “The amount of pills I found in her bag was astounding.”
Brown, Houston Get on Reality Wagon
Bobby Brown and wife Whitney Houston are thinking of joining reality–television, that is. USAToday.com reports Brown, and his Atlanta-based production company B2 Entertainment, are shooting a new reality TV series chronicling the Houston/Brown family life, in hopes of selling it to a network. “It’s Bobby’s project, and he’s her husband,” Houston spokeswoman Nancy Seltzer told USAToday.com. “Of course she would do it with him.” It isn’t clear, however, if the show will focus on the troubled couple’s recent past, including Houston Mar. 15 drug rehab stint or Brown‘s court appearance May 5 on battery charges stemming from an altercation with Houston last December as well as his probation violations.
Writers Begin Negotiations
Negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers are set to begin Monday, City News reports. The WGA, whose current three-year contract is due to expire May 2, is expected to demand higher residual payments for its members for DVD and video releases, contracts with “reality television” producers, and increased pension and health insurance contributions, among other things. “While there is no expectation of a strike at this time, the board of directors does want to be prepared in the event contract talks break down,” the guild advised in a Web site update for members. The last time the WGA went on strike in 1988.
Kids Choose OutKast, Nemo
Disney’s smash animated hit Finding Nemo and the hip-hop duo OutKast were the big winners at Nickelodeon’s 17th Annual Kids’ Choice Awards Saturday, Reuters reports. The show–where 17 million kids voted both online and by telephone for their favorites–was hosted by the upcoming Shrek 2 co-stars Cameron Diaz and Mike Myers, as kids watched voluminous amounts of slime poured onto unsuspecting celebrity presenters. Other winners included Jim Carrey for favorite movie actor and Amanda Bynes as favorite movie actress, while Malcolm in the Middle‘s Frankie Muniz and Disney Channel’s Raven-Symone took favorite TV actor and actress, respectively.
Actress Cannon Suffers Smoke Inhalation
Actress Dyan Cannon suffered smoke inhalation when a fire broke out in her Los Angeles condominium, The Associated Press reports. Los Angeles County fire officials received a call Sunday morning of smoke coming from the building and discovered a fire in Cannon‘s eighth floor condo. They put out the blaze in about 15 minutes, fire dispatcher Brendon Peart told AP. “According to Ms. Cannon, she was sleeping at the time, and it appears that a fire started, perhaps electrical, in her kitchen,” said fire Capt. Steve Martin. “The smoke detector woke her and her dogs up and, luckily, she got out safe,” he said. About 200 residents were evacuated, but most of the damage was confined to Cannon‘s condo, fire officials said.
Rooney Gets WWII Honor
Veteran actor Mickey Rooney, who received a Bronze Star during World War II, was bestowed a special award at the National D-Day Memorial in Virginia for his nearly two years of service in Europe, AP reports. At the same time, the 83-year-old Rooney was also honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Blue-Ridge-Southwest Virginia Vision Film Festival, which honors films made in the state or by Virginians.
Too Much TV May Cause Attention Problems
In a recent study, researchers found that preschoolers who watch too much television, especially before the age of 2, may have attention deficit problems later in life, AP reports. Yet, Jennifer Kotler, assistant director for research at Sesame Workshop, which produces educational children’s television programs including Sesame Street, questioned whether the results in the April issue of Pediatrics would apply to educational programming. “We do not ignore this research,” but more is needed on variables that could affect the impact of early exposure to television, including whether content or watching TV with a parent makes a difference, Kotler told AP.
Role Call: Miramax Snags Hostage
Miramax Films has acquired the North American rights to the thriller Hostage, starring Bruce Willis. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film, currently shooting in L.A., follows an LAPD hostage negotiator (Willis) who heads to the country after a bloody standoff to take a job as the police chief of a small town. But instead of finding peace, the cop becomes embroiled in negotiations to save his own kidnapped wife and daughter. It also stars Kevin Pollak, Ben Foster, Jonathan Tucker and Serena Scott Thomas.
