Court grants Redmond O'Neal rehab chance

LOS ANGELES – The son of Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett is getting a chance at a clean slate.

Redmond O'Neal was admitted into a drug court program on Thursday that could remove him from probation and wipe his record clear of previous drug convictions if he succeeds.

The 24-year-old will join an intense rehabilitation program that will include frequent drug tests and court appearances.

If he relapses or otherwise flunks the program, O'Neal faces several years in prison for a pair of drug convictions.

O'Neal became eligible for the drug court after he failed to pass a less stringent court-supervised rehab program.

O'Neal was stoic as Assistant District Attorney Anthony Estradas laid out the rules of the program, including that he would have to have his own job. The payoff, Estradas told O'Neal, would be a drug-free life and possibly a better relationship with his family.

"Jail will no longer be in your future," Estradas told O'Neal, who was wearing a brown jail jumpsuit.

He has been in custody since April 5, when deputies say they found him with heroin in a parking lot at Los Angeles area jail. He has pleaded not guilty to charges filed in that case.

O'Neal expressed regret recently, telling a judge his recent arrest was keeping him from being with his ailing mother. Fawcett is suffering from anal cancer that has spread to her liver and has suffered complications from an unrelated procedure performed in Germany.

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Hayden Panettiere: Wants to Footloose With Chace Crawford

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Chace Crawford could be playing footsies with Hayden Panettiere.

The Heroes starlet has auditioned for director Kenny Ortega's updated remake of the classic '80s flick Footloose.

Panettiere, my source says, recently sang for filmmakers (the new Footloose is being turned into a full-blown musical à la the Broadway version). "They were really impressed," the insider gushes. "No one realized what a good singer she is."

Panettiere actually has a slew of musical credits to her name. Not only did she release a pop single, "Wake Up Call," last year, but she's recorded several tunes for various soundtracks.

If she makes it the next round, Panettiere will likely have a dance audition followed by a read with Crawford. Her rep did not immediately comment for this story.

While Crawford isn't officially on board to star as Ren McCormack (originally played by Kevin Bacon), sources tell me the gig is pretty much a done deal.

Ren is a city boy who moves to small town where rock music and dance are prohibited. Ren heads up a revolt of sorts to overturn the oppressive laws. Panettiere would play Ariel Moore, who falls for Ren much to the chagrin of her boyfriend and her Bible-thumping father.

The original flick included hits like the title track and "Let's Hear It for the Boy."

The remake was supposed to star Zac Efron, but he dropped out to pursue non-song-and-dance projects.

As I first told you, Dancing With the Stars beauty/country singer Julianne Hough is also being considered for Ariel.

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Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber Breathe Easy After Son's Health Scare

Los Angeles (E! Online) – What with all the fuss over Mel Gibson and his red-carpet arm candy, Liev Schreiber's absence at last night's X-Men Origins: Wolverine premiere almost went unnoticed.

Though not by his ailing son.

Schreiber, who plays nemesis Sabretooth in the comic book flick, was in Los Angeles to attend the screening but ended up a no-show after learning his 21-month-old son with Naomi Watts, Alexander, was hospitalized in New York for respiratory problems, according to People.

The 41-year-old actor immediately flew home and pulled bedside duty with Watts and their 4-month-old son, Samuel, though luckily not for long.

Alexander—who goes by the Russian version of his name, Sasha—was monitored by doctors for the night before being released.

"Sasha got home today and is feeling much better," said Schreiber's rep, Ina Treciokas.

Talk about a Hollywood ending.

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Sean Penn files for legal separation

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn has filed for a legal separation from his wife Robin Wright Penn after an attempt to reconcile apparently failed.

According to court papers filed last week in Marin County, near San Francisco, Penn asked for the legal separation from his wife of 13 years on April 23 on grounds of irreconcilable differences.

The couple started divorce proceedings in December 2007 but got back together again a few months later. The couple have two children aged 18 and 15.

Penn, 48, won his second best actor Oscar in February for his role as slain gay activist Harvey Milk in the movie "Milk". Robin Wright Penn starred in the 1999 romantic drama "Message in a Bottle" and is currently appearing in the investigative reporting thriller "State of Play."

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant)

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Rapper Rick Ross leads album chart for third time

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – Rapper Rick Ross scored his third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart Wednesday, while veteran synth-rockers Depeche Mode came in at No. 3 with modest sales for their first album in almost four years.

Ross' "Deeper Than Rap" sold 158,000 copies during the week ended April 26, according to Nielsen SoundScan data. His last set, 2008's "Trilla," bowed at No. 1 with 198,000 while 2006's "Port of Miami" also did the same, with 187,000.

Last week's champ, the "Hannah Montana: the Movie" soundtrack, slipped to No. 2 with 104,000 copies.

Depeche Mode sold 80,000 copies of "Sounds of the Universe." The new set gives the British band its second-best rank ever on the chart. Its highest came when "Songs of Faith and Devotion" debuted at No. 1 in 1993.

However, "Sounds of the Universe's" opening frame is actually the group's smallest debut sales week for a studio set since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991. Depeche Mode's last four studio offerings have all had opening weeks north of 92,000, including 2005's "Playing the Angel."

Country combo Rascal Flatts' former chart-topper "Unstoppable" fell one to No. 4 with 68,000.

White rapper Asher Roth debuted at No. 5 with "Asleep in the Bread Aisle," which sold 65,000 copies. The set's lead single, "I Love College," peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 a little over a month ago.

Elsewhere, the "Twilight" soundtrack fell two places to No. 6; Lady GaGa's "The Fame" rose one to No. 7; Day26's "Forever in a Day" slid six to No. 8; the "Now 30" compilation dropped four to No. 9; and Jadakiss' "The Last Kiss" also fell four, to No. 10.

Overall album sales slipped three percent from the previous week, and were down 10 percent from the year-ago period. Year-to-date album sales are off 12 percent from the same time in 2008.

(Editing by Dean Gooodman at Reuters)

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Sarah Jessica Parker expecting twins via surrogate

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "Sex and the City" actress Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick are expecting twin girls via a surrogate mother, their representatives said on Tuesday.

Parker, 44, and Broderick, 47, "are happily anticipating the birth of their twin daughters later this summer with the generous help of a surrogate. The entire family is overjoyed," a statement from the couple said.

The couple have a six year old son, James, and have long wanted to add to their family but had no luck, an unidentified friend was quoted as telling Entertainment Weekly magazine.

They turned to a surrogate last year, the magazine said. The surrogate's name and details have not been disclosed.

"They had a lot of unsuccessful tries," the friend was quoted as saying. "They came to the conclusion that this was going to be the best alternative for expanding their family."

Parker is expected to begin shooting a sequel later this year to the hit movie version of "Sex and the City" along with fellow stars Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis.

Broderick, star of the Broadway musical and movie "The Producers", and Parker married in 1997.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Police to return jewelry worn by Rihanna

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Los Angeles police have agreed to return the $1.4 million worth of jewelry that pop star Rihanna was wearing the night her R&B singer boyfriend Chris Brown is accused of assaulting her, Rihanna's lawyer said on Wednesday.

The earring and three rings that Rihanna was wearing were on loan to the "Umbrella" singer, who had attended a pre-Grammy party with Brown hours before the Feb 8 incident. They were taken by police as evidence in the case.

The designers asked for the bling to be returned and lawyer Donald Etra told a Los Angeles judge at a hearing on the assault case that police will first photograph them before handing them back.

Brown is charged with attacking Rihanna in their rented car on their way home from the party. He was not in court on Wednesday. He is free on bail pending a possible trial next month when he could be given probation or up to five years prison if convicted.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Applegate on People's `Most Beautiful' cover

NEW YORK – A smiling Christina Applegate graces the cover of People magazine's "Most Beautiful" issue.

The 37-year-old actress, who recently battled breast cancer, certainly has much to celebrate: She says she's finally found her "perfect type" in her new beau, Dutch musician Martyn Lenoble (Mar-TAN Luh-NOBLE).

Applegate had a double mastectomy last July and reconstructive surgery months later. The star of ABC's "Samantha Who?" calls Lenoble an "angel" who loves her "from head to toe."

According to Applegate, Lenoble has been her "rock" and gave her reason to live — and smile.

The annual "Most Beautiful" issue features 100 famous faces, including Michelle Obama, Zac Efron and Cindy Crawford posing without makeup. It hits stands Friday.

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Shanna Moakler Mouths Off for Gay Marriage

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Former Miss USA Shanna Moakler has been pretty vocal about what she thinks of Miss California Carrie Prejean's views on gay marriage.

But now, Moakler, who is executive director of the Miss California USA pageant, is showing how she feels by keeping her mouth shut.

Moakler, along with Miss USA 2006 first runner-up Tamiko Nash and last year's titleholder Raquel Beezley were in a photo studio last night being shot by Adam Bouska for NOH8, a campaign to support efforts to overturn Proposition 8...

The three women were shot together with duct tape over their mouths, a symbol of their voices not being heard, and "NOH8" painted on their cheeks.

The project was started by Bouska, 25, and his partner, Jeff Parshley, 28, in November after the passage of Prop 8 outlawed same-sex unions in the state.

"We never expected to have so many beauty queens participate. The whole campaign, obviously, is not a direct message to Miss California, but now she happened to have put herself in the line of fire," Bouska says about his newest pic of the Moakler et al.

"If Carrie is going to go out there with her message, then we have to go out there and make sure the voices of these girls are heard," he adds. "And that they are what Miss USA should stand for, too."

Another portrait shows 1997's Miss Universe Brook Lee, originally from Hawaii, wearing a white wedding dress and a sash that reads "Miss Equality." With or without duct tape, these beauties are sending the message.

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O.J. Simpson witness and Dr. Phil settle case

LOS ANGELES – There's a settlement in the defamation lawsuit filed against Dr. Phil by a witness in O.J. Simpson's robbery case.

Attorneys for Phil McGraw and memorabilia dealer Thomas Riccio filed a statement Monday, saying an agreement had been reached.

Riccio sued McGraw and Stage 29 Media Productions in October. He claimed an interview with McGraw was edited to remove his denials to certain accusations, including that he set Simpson up and told Simpson to bring guns to a Las Vegas robbery.

A judge gutted the case last month, removing defamation, false light and infliction of emotional distress claims.

The interview aired days after Simpson was convicted of robbing and kidnapping two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint.

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