Jem

Charles and Camilla on First Official Engagement LONDON (Reuters) - Prince Charles and his new wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall broke off from their honeymoon on Thursday for their first married engagement together -- opening a Scottish school playground. On a blustery spring day in Ballater, Charles sported a kilt to accompany Camilla, given a big cheer as she cut the tape and launched into a round of official handshakes. After a 35-year romance that spanned two failed marriages, the heir to the throne married the love of his life last Saturday in a low-key civil ceremony at Windsor town hall that his mother, Queen Elizabeth, declined to attend. The monarch then welcomed Camilla into the royal family by attending a service of blessing in the Windsor Castle chapel before hosting a reception for the couple.

Joaquin Phoenix to Rehab By Charlie Amter The Oscar-nominated actor announced Tuesday that he had voluntarily checked himself into an undisclosed rehab facility two weeks ago to kick his booze habit. Phoenix was "uncomfortable with the way that he was living his life and found the courage to deal with his disease," said his publicist Susan Patricola in a brief statement. "He has welcomed the opportunity to change his life in a positive and profound way, in the hopes that coming forward will encourage others with the same disease to get help as well." No further details were disclosed. The 29-year-old Signs star knows first-hand the tragedy of substance abuse. His older brother, River, died of a drug overdose in 1993 after a night of partying in Hollywood. Despite starring in blockbusters like last summer's The Village, 2002's Signs and 2000's Gladiator, which earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination, Joaquin Phoenix has managed to maintain a lower profile than his Hollywood peers. "The less someone knows about me, the better, because my intention is to play a variety of characters," Phoenix once told E! Online. Aside from The Village, Phoenix starred in four films last year: the firefighter flick Ladder 49 with John Travolta, the Oscar-nominated Hotel Rwanda with Don Cheadle and the little-seen indie It's All About Love, which costarred Sean Penn and Claire Danes. Phoenix recently completed narration for the documentary Earthlings, which tackles the subject of animal abuse and features appearances by Pamela Anderson, James Cromwell, Bill Maher and Charlize Theron. The film debuts later this month at the Hollywood Film Festival. Phoenix is also earning early Oscar buzz for his role as late music legend Johnny Cash opposite Reese Witherspoon in the anticipated biopic Walk the Line. Phoenix learned to play guitar and does his own singing in the film, which is due in November.

Update O'Brien Will Return to 'Insider' LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - "The Insider" anchor Pat O'Brien will likely be back in front of the camera by May. The 57-year-old O'Brien, who checked himself into an alcohol rehab program in late March, is set to complete the program and return to the syndicated showbiz-news program in time for May sweeps, the New York Post reports. He's also likely to be the subject of a sit-down interview upon his return. A number of would-be interviewers are angling for the get, but the paper reports that talk-show host Dr. Phil McGraw is the favorite. Both McGraw's show and "The Insider" are distributed by divisions of megia giant Viacom. Ken Sunshine, O'Brien's spokesman, tells the Post that nothing's been settled yet. O'Brien checked into rehab on March 20, saying that getting past the problem "is a top priority in my life." At the same time, he was facing the revelation of voice-mail recordings, reportedly left by O'Brien for a female acquaintance, that graphically describe a number of sex acts. "Insider" co-anchor Lara Spencer has been hosting the show solo for the past couple of weeks.

'Insider' Anchor O'Brien Enters Rehab LOS ANGELES (AP) - Television host Pat O'Brien (above), anchor of "The Insider" news magazine show, has entered an alcohol rehabilitation program, he said in a written statement Sunday to The Associated Press. "I have had a problem with alcohol. I have decided to take action by checking myself into an intensive recovery program," the 57-year-old broadcast journalist said. "Overcoming this problem is a top priority in my life and I am excited to return to work as soon as I am able," he continued. There were no details about the recovery facility or when O'Brien entered the program. O'Brien, who covered the Summer Olympics in Greece for MSNBC and NBC late-night programming, was a TV news reporter in Los Angeles and Chicago before joining CBS Sports. He occasionally hosted "Entertainment Tonight" and in 1997 became the full-time host of "Access Hollywood." That contract expired last year and he began hosting "The Insider." "We support Pat's decision to seek treatment and look forward to welcoming him back on the air at the appropriate time," said Manfred Westphal, a spokesman for Paramount Domestic Television, which syndicates "The Insider." Westphal said the show's New York host, Lara Spencer (above), will take over during O'Brien's absence

While this isn

Martha Stewart and Anna Nicole Smith. THAT would be funny! :shock:

Soap Wedding Ratings Beat Royal Nuptials By Micjael McDonough LONDON - Prince Charles' wedding to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, had as many plot twists as a soap opera, but TV ratings show it didn't compare with the real thing. A marriage between two veteran characters on TV show "Coronation Street" proved a far bigger hit with British viewers than Saturday's royal event, broadcasters said Monday. An audience of some 12.1 million tuned in Friday night to watch Ken Barlow and Deirdre Rachid tie the knot, the ITV1 channel said. At its peak, the number of viewers hit 12.9 million. The average audience for the royal wedding was some 7.3 million, ITV1 said, citing combined figures for that channel and the British Broadcasting Corp. Although the civil marriage inside the Guildhall in Windsor wasn't broadcast, TV cameras did cover the blessing ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The Broadcasters' Audience Research Board Ltd. said the BBC's coverage peaked at 7.8 million and ITV1 at 2.3 million. ITV1 peaked after the main BBC channel ended its coverage.

Jennifer Aniston's Latest Role By Sarah Hall Jennifer Aniston was there for her ex-Friends costar, Courteney Cox. The soon-to-be former Mrs. Pitt joined Cox and her husband, David Arquette, in Birmingham, Alabama, for the baptism of their 10-month-old daughter, Coco, on Saturday. Aniston was named one of the baby's godmothers during the ceremony, which took place at St. Stephen's Episcopal with about 110 family members and friends in the congregation. The Reverend Doug Carpenter, who married Cox and Arquette in San Francisco in 1999, officiated over the baptism and deemed it a "wonderful gathering." "There were no cameras during the ceremony, but afterward, everyone wanted their pictures taken with the stars," Carpenter told the Associated Press.

Cardinals End Interviews Before Conclave By Victoria L. Simpson VATICAN CITY - The College of Cardinals decided Saturday to halt interviews with the news media as they begin preparations for their conclave to elect a new pope, the Vatican said, in what was believed to be an unprecedented clampdown. The cardinals consider it an "act of responsibility" as they begin a period of "intense preparation" for the ritual-filled secret process of choosing a new pontiff that begins April 18, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said. The spokesman presented it as a "request" by the cardinals to the news media that they not ask for interviews and said it was approved unanimously by the 130 cardinals present. Italian news media have reported that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the dean of the College of Cardinals who has been mentioned as a possible successor to Pope John Paul II, had argued for the ban. Navarro-Valls said only that all the cardinals approved it. The spokesman said the decision against accepting interviews should not be considered an act of "discourtesy" or lack of interest in the media. The cardinals took an oath of secrecy about their deliberations on April 4 at their first preparatory meeting, two days after the pope's death, but it did not preclude them from giving interviews. Anyone who breaks the sacred oath of secrecy during a conclave faces excommunication according to detailed guidelines set out by John Paul in 1996 to ensure the centuries-old process is safe in an age of media leaks and cell phones. On other issues, Navarro-Valls underlined that any eventual decision to put John Paul on the path to sainthood would rest with the next pope. Since John Paul's death a week ago, there have been calls that he be made a saint. He also said the number of cardinals who will enter the conclave will be 115 because of the confirmed absences of two prelates because of illness: Cardinal Jaime L. Sin of the Philippines and Cardinal Alfonso Antonio Suarez Rivera of Mexico. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote.

:shock:

Charles, Camilla Wed in Modest Ceremony By CATHERINE McALOON, Associated Press Writer WINDSOR, England - Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were married Saturday in a modest civil ceremony at the 17th century Guildhall, and the second marriage for each was blessed by the Church of England as the royals knelt before Archbishop of Canterbury in a majestic ceremony beneath the soaring arches of the Gothic St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The wedding capped a decades-long love affair that endured the prince's first marriage to Princess Diana and constant tabloid scrutiny. Charles and Camilla confessed "manifold sins and wickedness"

yadda yadda yadda.....Random thoughts for today..... I know I always seem to bring this up. Brad Pitt (yummy) is denying any involvement with Angelina Jolie, claiming the story is

UK Police Probe Royal Wedding Security Scare LONDON (Reuters) - British police ordered an inquiry Thursday into how a journalist drove a fake "bomb" into the heart of the royal castle where heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles will marry this weekend. An undercover reporter said he tricked police into letting him take a van carrying a brown box marked "bomb" close to Queen Elizabeth's apartments at Windsor Castle, 20 miles west of London. "This apparent breach of security at Windsor Castle in the run-up to the royal wedding properly raises serious concern," a police spokeswoman said in a statement. "It is only right that the facts are established before any action is taken against any police personnel who may be culpable." London police chief Ian Blair, who said in February that the wedding was a potential terrorist target, has ordered an "immediate inquiry," the statement added. The queen's eldest son Prince Charles will marry his long-term lover Camilla Parker Bowles at a civil ceremony in the small town of Windsor Saturday. 'ABSURDLY EASY' The Sun newspaper said their reporter posed as a delivery driver to convince police to let him and a photographer past a barrier at the 900-year-old castle's King Henry VIII gate. "It was all absurdly easy," reporter Alex Peake wrote in the newspaper's Thursday edition. "It took just a hired van, two pairs of workmen's overalls and a bogus delivery note." Wednesday's incident was the latest in a series of royal security breaches. Sunday, two tourists climbed a perimeter fence at the castle to reach an area near the queen's rooms. Charles's wedding plans have been dogged by hitches since he announced in February he was to marry the woman blamed by many Britons for destroying his marriage to his first wife, the late Princess Diana. The venue was switched following a mixup over marriage licenses and then had to be rescheduled from Friday to avoid a clash with the funeral of Pope John Paul. Some constitutional experts have even questioned the legality of the pair marrying in a civil ceremony. ($1=.5327 Pound)

Denver Votes Big Brother 6 Out of The House. By TheScribe - April 2, 2005 As you would all suspect this renowned scribe has been keeping a close eye on the open casting calls for the up and coming Big Brother 6 show, scheduled for approximately July 5th of this year. Now, we are all aware that when "The Apprentice" calls an open casting call, even small towns end up with line ups larger than their population. When "Survivor" invites potential victims to their casting calls, they end up with folks camped in the street overnight clamoring to be first in the door, and of course there are "American Idol" cattle calls that are so huge they have to rent stadiums to accommodate the masses that want to be in the Big Show. Okay with out further ado I will get to the point. This weekend Big Brother held an open casting call in Denver, Colorado, a city with a population of 2,581,506 and the total turn out for the open casting call was 30 people, give or take a loony or two. I am guessing if you are a Big Brother fan your brain is total denial after having just read the previous paragraph. That is okay Bunky, so are the producers of Big Brother. You are now asking yourself, how can that be possible, only 30 people (give or take) show up at a casting call for the greatest show on reality TV? The answer is plain and simple; the show is no longer of the people, for the people, by the people. The great unwashed masses have figured it out; this is a show of a few dupes salted into a show of Hollywood wannabes. The producers of Big Brother are so far out in "pat myself on the backland" they can't see they lost the greatest asset the show ever had, the real people. The very essence that makes American Idol so strong has been totally ignored by the producers of the Big Brother show. No, it is not the text and phone in voting. It is the innate built in competitiveness of all Americans. We all know Texas is the biggest and best state of the Union because they are always reminding us they are. We know how special Alaska is because that is where the real men live. I could go on and on about how each state of the union loves competing for cock of the walk and bragging rights and that is what American Idol has and what Big Brother is so arrogantly ignoring. It is also why only 30 people show up for a casting call in a city with a population of 2,581,506 This also means for absolutely sure that we are only going to get more of what we got from Big Brother the last two years, a show that is predominantly cast from agencies and the whims of the producers rather than a show that will draw the attention of people all rooting for the person from their state or region to win. Folks it is time to start stomping your feet and screaming loudly enough to be heard. Although I am sure the producers of Big Brother read my ramblings, I am also sure they write me off as some crank that has no business sticking my nose in their business, rather than an accredited scribe of a renowned publication. So Bunky, get your pen out, get busy on your keyboard and start writing to aspproductions@aol.com to voice your opinion if you want something more than what you have been given the last few years. Just maybe, and I say this carefully, if you do take to writing, you will be giving America back a summer time pastime we embraced once upon a time.

Bells, White Smoke Will Announce New Pope By VICTOR L. SIMPSON, Associated Press Writer VATICAN CITY - Responding to Pope John Paul II's request, the Vatican will depart from centuries-old tradition by ringing bells in addition to sending up white smoke to signal the election of his successor. Before he died Saturday at age 84, John Paul also made his wish known "to be buried in the ground" and not placed in an above-ground tomb, Archbishop Piero Marini said Tuesday. He will buried in the tomb left vacant after the remains of Pope John XXIII were exhumed from the cramped grotto under St. Peter's Basilica in 2001 and moved to the main floor following his beatification. John Paul will be laid to rest with a white silk veil on his face, a rosary in his hands and his body clad in liturgical vestments and the white miter. Following the centuries-old custom for burying popes, his body will be placed inside three coffins

Big Three Networks Go Live with Pope's Funeral By Paul J. Gough NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The Big Three broadcast networks will go all out to cover the funeral of Pope John Paul II on Friday, even though the bulk of the telecast will occur when most of America is still asleep. The funeral will begin at 4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT from Vatican City. Many of the broadcast networks' stars will be there, including ABC's Charles Gibson and CBS' Harry Smith and John Roberts. NBC's Brian Williams will be the only one of the Big Three anchors to be on hand, with Peter Jennings' illness announced Tuesday. Marcy McGinnis, senior vice president for news at CBS News, said the early start would not affect the network's funeral coverage. "We will produce it as if it was happening at any other time," McGinnis said Tuesday. "It's one of those events that isn't about ratings. It's history," said Mark Lukasiewicz, executive producer of NBC News specials. "This is a remarkable event. It's a funeral Mass for someone who has had an incredibly deep impact on the world, both politically and spiritually. I suspect a lot of people will watch, but that's not at the forefront of my mind."

Tourists Breach Security Before UK Royal Wedding LONDON (Reuters) - Two tourists managed to avoid security and reach a private area of Windsor Castle just days before heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles has his wedding reception at the royal residence, police said on Wednesday. The men were held in the grounds of the imposing castle, 32 km (20 miles) west of London, after climbing a perimeter fence on Sunday night. "The two men had entered the private area of the Windsor Castle estate and were immediately detected," a police spokeswoman said. The Sun newspaper said they reached the area of the castle where Queen Elizabeth's private quarters are located, but the spokeswoman said the secure area used by the royal family had not been breached "at any stage." The tourists were quizzed before being released without arrest, she added, giving no further details. The incident came less than a week before a royal wedding that Britain's most senior police officer has warned poses an obvious potential terrorist target. Prince Charles will marry his long-term lover Camilla Parker Bowles at a civil ceremony at the Guildhall in Windsor on Saturday. Queen Elizabeth has declined to attend the ceremony but instead will attend a later blessing service and host a reception for the couple at the castle. The wedding has already suffered a number of setbacks. The venue was switched following a mixup of marriage licenses and then had to be rescheduled from Friday in order not to clash with the funeral of Pope John Paul. Sunday's incident was also the latest in a series of high-profile breaches in royal security. Last year a man tricked his way into Windsor Castle by pretending to be a policeman, and in 2003 self-styled "comedy terrorist" Aaron Barshcak managed to gate-crash the 21st birthday party of Charles's son Prince William there. In September last year a campaigner for fathers' rights dressed in a Batman costume evaded police to scale the front of Buckingham Palace, the queen's London residence.

This is something that really bothers me! I wouldnt let my child near him, boy or girl.

LOL, that was the most random thought I could come up with. You open yahoo news and JACKSON. Could also be the fresh air I was out in today. Cleared the head of everything. :shock: I guess I'll have to go read it now and comment sometime later. :roll:

WOW, who would have thought that parkyour.... PARKER BOWLES and Charles would have been so popular. :twisted:

Welcome to mortys Donna.

ABC News: Peter Jennings Has Lung Cancer By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer NEW YORK - Peter Jennings, the chief ABC News anchorman for more than 20 years, has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will begin outpatient treatment next week, the network said Tuesday. Jennings, 66, told ABC News staff members of his diagnosis Tuesday morning and said he will continue to anchor the broadcast when he feels up to it as he begins chemotherapy. He last anchored "World News Tonight" Friday and was too ill to work Saturday during the network's special report on Pope John Paul II's death. "There will be good days and bad, which means some days I may be cranky and some days really cranky," he told ABC News employees in an e-mail. Charles Gibson, who's in Rome for the pope's funeral, and Elizabeth Vargas will be Jennings' primary substitutes on the evening news. Jennings is the last of the anchor troika that dominated broadcast network news divisions over the last two decades. NBC's Tom Brokaw stepped down last year and CBS's Dan Rather left the evening news last month. A former foreign correspondent based in Rome and London, the urbane Jennings and "World News Tonight" dominated the ratings during the late 1980s and early 1990s, before being surpassed by Brokaw. His broadcast is now a close second to NBC's "Nightly News" with Brian Williams. He has been feeling ill for the past several months. Following the tsunami in December, he did not travel to the stricken region, with ABC explaining at the time that he had an upper respiratory infection and was under doctor's orders not to travel. He did go to Iraq in January for the elections. Jennings is a former smoker who gave up the habit several years ago, the network said. He anchored ABC's evening newscast for two years in the 1960s, then joined a multi-anchor format in 1978. ABC abandoned the approach in 1983 after Frank Reynolds died of cancer and Jennings has been the sole anchor since then.

Nothing like a bit of gossip. :twisted: