Sideshow | Prince Harry won't go to Iraq
After what seemed years of speculation, the British army said last week that 22-year-old tank commander Prince Harry would go to Iraq with the rest of his unit. Harry, who trained at the elite Sandhurst military academy, has been most insistent he go, even though the army believes he might be a prime target. But yesterday, Army chief of staff Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt said Harry would not be deployed. Dannatt said there were "a number of specific threats" from insurgents "that rela
After what seemed years of speculation, the British army said last week that 22-year-old tank commander
Prince Harry
would go to Iraq with the rest of his unit. Harry, who trained at the elite Sandhurst military academy, has been most insistent he go, even though the army believes he might be a prime target. But yesterday, Army chief of staff Gen.
Sir Richard Dannatt
said Harry would
not
be deployed. Dannatt said there were "a number of specific threats" from insurgents "that relate directly to Prince Harry as an individual." He said this would expose Harry, who is third in line for the British throne, and his regiment to an unacceptable level of risk. A statement from Harry's office said the second lieutenant is disappointed, but "fully understands Gen. Dannatt's difficult decision and remains committed to his army career." Some wags worry Harry's absence will have a devastating impact on the morale of British troops. Others do not.
A wanted man
The Miami Herald says Florida deejay
Yuleika De Castro
filed a misdemeanor battery complaint yesterday against
Tracy Morgan
, alleging the comedian groped her at an appearance last week at another radio station.
De Castro said Morgan appeared very drunk and smelled of booze when he came into her office where he touched her shoulders and arms and kissed the back of her head.
On May 25, Morgan is due to be fitted with an ankle bracelet in L.A., where he was busted last week for violating parole on a DUI charge. The bracelet will measure alcohol levels on Morgan's skin every 30 minutes.
No comments from Morgan.
BET nominations
Songstress extraordinaire
Beyoncé
has a leading six nominations for the 2007 BET Awards, including top female R&B artist and top video.
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, R&B singer Ciara, hip-hoppers Akon and the group Gnarls Barkley have three nominations each.
The Black Entertainment Television Awards will be shown live on BET June 26 from the Shrine Auditorium in L.A.
Grey's love bug
Kate Walsh
has finally joined the
Grey's Anatomy
's girlie-girl trend: Becoming betrothed.
In the year that saw Cupid's arrow pierce both Katherine Heigl and Ellen Pompeo, Walsh, who plays Dr. McDreamy's (Patrick Dempsey) ex, says her bf of like 12 minutes, 20th Century Fox exec Alex Young, popped the question during a trip to San Francisco last week, E!0nline reports.
Walsh's rock: a Neil Lane jubilee-cut diamond.
Young, she said to People is "the most amazing man I ever met."
Rebounding from the rebound
Starship Troopers
dish
Denise Richards
, 36, and
Richie Sambora
, 47, have ended their rebound romance after a year.
It was a convenient hook-up: Denise was on the rebound from Charlie Sheen, while the Bon Jovi guitarist was getting over Heather Locklear.
But it was a bit awkward too: Denise's hook-up with Sambora may have rubbed Sambora's ex, Heather, the wrong way and may have contributed to the collapse of the Denise-Heather best-friendship. Capisce? A Richards rep says the split happened two months ago.
Long lame Friday
Yet another reason to despise the Hollywood Machine. The BBC reports Handmade Films has handed the searing 1980 British gangster epic
The Long Good Friday
over to mediocre-to-fair
Resident Evil
helmer,
Paul W. S. Anderson
, for a "refreshed" American remake with "contemporary overtones."
The original, which stars a ferocious Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren at her seductive best and the suave Pierce Brosnan, didn't make enough dosh in America, Handmade said.
Dusty to catch some Zs
ZZ Top
have scrapped their European tour, due to begin June 15 in Leipzig, Germany, because bassist-singer
Dusty Hill
(he's the one with a beard) needs treatment for a benign growth in his inner ear. Dusty's otolaryngologist (try saying that real fast), Dr.
Shawn Nasseri
, said Dusty won't need surgery. This means he'll be ready for the band's American tour, which kicks off July 15 in Dallas.
Must-not-watch TV . . .
Us Weekly reports
Kevin Federline
has been left high and dry by TV networks, including Fox and MTV who said, "Yawn. . . . No!" (or something to that effect) when the former Mr.
Britney Spears
tried to sell them a reality show about his post-Brit life as a single dad.
Shocking that TV execs just can't see how radical the show would be.