Ailing
Singer Mariah Carey, hospitalized July 25 for a mental breakdown, was apparently concerned–in part–that her former hubby, Sony president Tommy Motolla, was conducting a smear campaign to derail Carey‘s career. After reading an extremely negative review of her new single “Loverboy” in Billboard, Carey hired a San Francisco private eye, Jack Palladino, to investigate whether Motolla was using his influence to sway critics in his direction, according to the New York Post‘s PageSix.com. Carey, 31, still recovering from the breakdown, is reported to be too fragile to promote her new film, Glitter, which is scheduled to debut Aug. 31.
James Hetfield, Metallica’s energetic singer/guitarist, has offered his appreciation to devoted fans following his July 19 admittance to a drug rehab facility. Hetfield, 37, entered the facility for alcoholism and “other addictions,” Rolling Stone said. Hetfield, in his statement on the official Metallica Web site, said: “It’s a great feeling to have the support and comfort for me as a person from all the friends I’ve made out there. Thanks very much, it means a lot.” Hetfield‘s stint at the facility will delay the recording of their latest album–the first since 1997.
In Courts
On Friday, bad boy Dennis Rodman was cited for allegedly speeding in Newport Bay, Calif. in his 47-foot boat, Sexual Chocolate. Authorities said the former NBA defensive great was going 20 mph in a 5 mph zone, and forced Rodman to dock his boat nearby. Several boaters had been complaining about Rodman‘s antics on the water prior to his citation, according to The Associated Press.
Former Dogg Pound member Daz Dillinger (whose real name is Delmar Arnaud) is suing Death Row Records and hip-hop giant Suge Knight for breach of contract, Launch.com reports. Dillinger claims that Death Row and Knight failed to properly compensate him, swindling Dillinger out of millions of dollars while he worked for them from 1993 through 1999. His suit claims: “[Death Row and Knight] collected tens of millions of dollars in record sales and royalties. They violated agreement after agreement, each time promising to honor the new one.”
Alan Jardine, who founded the Beach Boys, will no longer be legally allowed to tour under the name “Beach Boys Family and Friends,” as he did in the late ’90s. An U.S. District Court recently ruled that Jardine could not use the name, as it’s currently in use–in part–by Beach Boy Mike Love’s touring band. “We are happy with the result,” said Brother Records International attorney Mike Flynn. “This terminates [Jardine’s] entire case.” Jardine did not comment on the ruling, but his attorney, Jeffrey Benice, said the case would be appealed.
In General
One day after canceling her highly anticipated concert at the Meadowlands due to laryngitis, Madonna frustrated New Yorkers yet again when her automobile entourage jammed traffic near Central Park. The cars were awaiting the pop diva’s emergence from her apartment, though commotion soon escalated behind the entourage, enraging Manhattan motorists, the New York Post‘s PageSix.com reports.
A longtime stalker of actor/comedian Jerry Lewis was found dead in his jail cell in Las Vegas’ Clark County Detention Center. According to the New York Post‘s PageSix.com, the man, Gary Benson, 57, died in his sleep. Benson had been stalking Lewis for years, and had already spent six years in prison for his psychotic obsession.
The man who brought Zorro to life in the ’50s TV series, Guy Williams, has received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Over 7,000 fans donated funds to pay for the star, which was accepted by his son, Guy Williams, Jr., AP reports. The elder Williams died in 1989.
The Writers Guild of America has voted Citizen Kane‘s screenplay as Hollywood’s greatest written work, with Casablanca coming in No. 2. Quentin Tarantino‘s Pulp Fiction grabbed the top spot as the most overrated screenplay in history, AP reports. Surprisingly, both Citizen Kane and Casablanca also wound up on the most-overrated list’s top 10.
The Cranberries are offering free tickets to a string of upcoming semi-acoustic performance, but those who wish to receive the goods must email the quartet–in 30 words or less–why they feel they should snag a free pair. The bizarre promotion is an effort to hype up The Cranberries’ upcoming album Wake Up and Smell the Coffee, Rolling Stone reports. The band’s email address is crancomp@elive.ie. The five shows in question are all to be held in Los Angeles, starting Aug. 14.
