Members of Heart don't want the McCain
campaign using their classic rock song, "Barracuda."

Ann and Nancy Wilson say they've asked the
Republicans not to use the song and hope their
wishes will be honored.

A statement from their publicist says Heart's music
publisher has sent a cease-and-desist notice to the

McCain-Palin Campaign. "Sarah Barracuda" is one of
V-P nominee Sarah Palin's nicknames. The song had
been played at the Republican Convention.




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Britney Spears won't perform on the MTV Video Music Awards.

Her manager, Larry Rudolph, says contrary to media reports, Spears was never supposed to perform on this year's VMAs. He says Spears is "in the middle of recording her next album, which is going amazingly well, and her focus remains on the studio."

Spears' lackluster performance on last year's VMAs was the talk of the event.

The video for her song "Piece of Me" has been nominated for video of the year. Spears has also been appearing in commercials promoting the VMAs, which will
be September 7th.




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The Democrats have Melissa Etheridge and Rage Against The Machine.

The Republicans have the Beach Boys and Styx.

Musicians are choosing their sides leading up to the upcoming political conventions. Besides Etheridge and Rage, Willie Nelson, Cyndi Lauper and Rufus Wainwright have concerts planned in Denver during the Democratic convention this week.

The following week, when the Republicans hold their convention in the Twin Cities, the
Beach Boys and Styx will play, as will Sammy Hagar and country musicians Gretchen Wilson and John Rich. Tom Morello, Billy Bragg, Steve Earle and Mos Def, who are Democrat supporters, will play a concert in St. Paul opposite the Republican convention.

The nonpartisan group Rock the Vote plans a bash in Denver with Fall Out Boy, Jakob Dylan and "the hottest VIPS and celebrity guests." Rock the Vote will host an event in the Twin Cities but no celebrities are planned. Why is that? Rock the Vote spokeswoman Chrissy Faessen says its party in Denver is a kickoff event for both conventions and the Democrats are holding their convention first.



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I hear that Lance Armstrong gave Kate Hudson her walking papers for moving too fast in their relationship.

A friend of his says that Kate was very needy and seemed nearly "desperate" to have a man in her life…then again, what would friends of Kate say about Lance? 

Meanwhile, the anti-cancer activist and cyclist may be kicking himself for ending things with Sheryl Crow.  (I hope so!) Apparently, they managed to stay together for so long because he loved her sense of independence. 



Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crow






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Angelina Jolie says having six kids in the
house is "chaos," but she says she and
Brad Pitt are "managing it and having a
wonderful time."

You can see Knox and Vivienne in People
magazine and on People.com. 

The actress tells the magazine that she and
Pitt were "in shock and couldn't stop laughing"
when they learned they were having twins.

She says her daughters Shiloh and Zahara
are acting like "little mommies," picking out
clothes for the twins and helping to change
and hold them.

Pitt says their son Maddox is already asking
his parents when they'll be having more babies.



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Take a good long look at the photos of the
Brangelina Twins that are on the newsstand today.

They're worth 14 million dollars.

That's according to a person involved in the negotiations
that made these the most expensive celebrity pictures
ever sold.

People and Hello! magazines split the 14 million dollar
cost for the right to publish exclusive pictures of Vivienne
Marcheline and Knox Leon Jolie-Pitt.

The money's going to charity.

People.com actually revealed the first photo last night.



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Former Golden Girl Estelle Getty was a humble soul.

Despite her success with "The Golden
Girls," Estelle Getty's son told friends and family
gathered at a private memorial service that his mother
always chose frugal over flashy.

He remembers when his mother's Toyota Tercel was towed out
of her assigned parking space at "The Golden Girls" production
lot because security thought someone else had parked there.

Getty's son says "the Great Depression left an indelible impression"
on his mom.

Her "Golden Girls" co-stars Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan
and Betty White were not at the small service. 

  

Getty died Tuesday. She was 84 and had advanced dementia.


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Bo Derek gets a special political appointment in California (of course)

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has named Bo Derek to a state commission overseeing horse racing. 

The 51-year-old actress was appointed Tuesday to the California Horse Racing Board.
The position requires confirmation by the state Senate and pays $100 per diem.

Derek is an animal rights activist and horse lover who has lobbied Congress for five years to ban the slaughter of horses in the U.S.

She also owns a pet care products company called Bless the Beasts.

Derek is the author of the book "Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters in Life I Learned from Horses."



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A court-appointed psychologist says Christie Brinkley should get custody of her two youngest children.

Dr. Stephen Herman made the recommendation Tuesday at the Long Island divorce trial of Brinkley and architect Peter Cook.

Herman says he met 11 times with Peter and Christie, their 13-year-old son Jack & 10-year-old daughter, Sailor.  He says Peter Cook is a narcissist who constantly
needs to have his insatiable ego fed.

The psychologist says shared custody "is not at all a viable option."

Trial testimony has detailed Cook's affair with a teenager and his online activities concerning adult websites.



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Britney Spears is hunting for a house with a larger yard that's closer to parks for her two boys. She also wants a "less trafficked" area.

She currently lives in Beverly Hills, California, in a 7-million-dollar home.

Her father and conservator, James Spears, requested the sale of the current home and a court commissioner agreed.


  
    


  



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What a case of bad timing -- to get the hottest title -- just a few weeks after dumping girlfriend Karina Smirnoff. 

People magazine's Hottest Bachelor used to be a fat kid. Mario Lopez
tells People he was such a "chubby baby" he looked like "a Sumo wrestler."

Lopez is being called a great catch at a time when there are reports he cheated
on his then-girlfriend Karina Smirnoff with a former Hooters girl. Despite those reports, Lopez told the "Today" show that he's more honest in his relationships
now.

People's other hot bachelors include David Cook, Britney Spears' older brother
Bryan, Scarlett Johansson's twin brother Hunter and Andy Samberg of "Saturday
Night Live."


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A spokesman for publisher Thomas Nelson tells People magazine the book "Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World" by Lynne Spears will come out in September.

The spokesman says the book was put on hold when Spears' sister, Jamie Lynn, got pregnant. He says Lynne Spears never stopped working on the book because "she wants to express her love for her children and tell their stories through a mother's
eyes." The book is finished except for the photos.



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William Shatner is still sending good wishes to George Takei  on his upcoming wedding despite the fact he probably won't be invited.

Star Trek Star George Takei's fiance, Brad Altman, says they have room for "only 200" guests and he didn't know if Shatner would "make the cut."

Takei has said that Shatner didn't treat him and most of the cast of "Star Trek" very well.

Shatner has now released a statement saying he wishes "the happy couple all the best." He says "George deserves a moment of happiness."

         
  
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Tori Spelling has decided to join the "Beverly Hills 90210" spinoff that'll air on the CW this fall.

Spelling tells People.com that her character Donna will have a career in fashion. A spokesperson for the show says Donna will "own one of the coolest stores in Beverly Hills."

No word on whether Donna will still be married to David. This will give Spelling two shows on the air. Her reality series, "Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood" returns for a third season next month.



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Good thing Brangelina loves kids because they're having twins. Once Angelina Jolie's twins are born, she and Brad Pitt will have a brood equal to "The Brady Bunch:" six.

That's how Jack Black confirmed to Natalie Morales of the "Today" show that Jolie is expecting twins, and then, Jolie said it was true.

Morales was interviewing Jolie and Black together at the Cannes Film Festival for their film, "Kung Fu Panda."

Angelina won't say when the babies will arrive, only that she's due "in a few months." She also won't reveal the sex of the babies, saying "we'd like to keep that private." 

         

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Cher spills her decades old secret that she dated HIM!

Before there was TomKat, there was TomCher. Cher tells "The Oprah Winfrey Show" she dated Tom Cruise when he was "a shy boy" who "didn't have any money." Winfrey asked Cher, "So how much of a date was that?" Cher said, "Oh, that was a
long date. Really. I lived in his apartment." She says she was crazy about him and he was "different" and "wonderful."

It's not clear when they dated. Cher is 16 years older than Cruise.

It must have ended amicably, because Winfrey says Cruise made a point of telling her to say hi to Cher for him. Winfrey will feature Cruise on her show tomorrow and Monday. The Cher episode will air
May 8th.







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People magazine reports that the Miley Cyrus franchise will be worth a
projected 1 billion dollars by the end of the year!

Not that Miley's seeing much of that money.

Her mom says most is invested and Miley can't touch it until she's
18.

The list also includes the Jonas Brothers, who make 12 million
dollars a year.

Twelve-year-old Abigail Breslin makes 2 million
dollars a movie, but she gets only $11 a week for an allowance.

Mark Indelicato makes nearly half a million for each season of
"Ugly Betty," but he's restricted to an allowance of $50 a week.



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The last time Brooke White had a false start on "American Idol," Randy Jackson praised her for doing it her way. This time, she got a stern warning from Paula Abdul.
 
White admitted she forgot the lyric on "You Must Love Me" and asked to start over. Simon Cowell said Jason Castro's rendition of "Memory" was like a young guy forced to sing a song at a wedding that he didn't want to sing. Andrew Lloyd Webber said he never imagined a man in dreadlocks singing that song. Jackson says Syesha Mercado could have a great career as a Broadway star. Jackson said David Archuleta was the one to beat with his rendition of "Think of Me," but Cowell called it "forgettable." The judges had positive things to day about David Cook singing "The Music of the
Night." Carly Smithson, who sang "Jesus Christ Superstar," grabbed a shirt from the audience that said, "Simon Loves Me (This Week)."