Sideshow: Malawi says no 2d child for Madonna
Madonna's enemies - and they are legion - rejoiced yesterday as a Malawian judge denied the desire of the Sultana of Self-Hype to acquire a second child from the impoverished, AIDS-ravaged nation in southern Africa.
Madonna
's enemies - and they are legion - rejoiced yesterday as a Malawian judge
denied the desire of the Sultana of Self-Hype to acquire a second child from the impoverished, AIDS-ravaged nation in southern Africa.
Judge Esme Chombo said allowing Madonna to adopt Chifundo "Mercy" James, 3, would set a bad precedent in bending the nation's residency requirements. In a controversial move that angered Malawian activists, those rules were waived in '06 to allow the then-married Madge to take David Banda home to London.
The singer's lawyer, Alan Chinula, says he was appealing to Malawi's Supreme Court.
Levi on safe sex
Bristol Palin
's ex-fiance - and the father of her child - tells
Tyra Banks
that he and Alaska's first daughter didn't always practice safe sex.
Levi Johnston, who got Bristol pregnant when she was 17, said the two practiced safe sex only "most of the time." Levi, who appears in a segment of Tyra's talk show set to air Monday, also said B.'s mom, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was aware the teens were having sex under her roof.
Levi and Bristol, whose son, Tripp, was born in December, announced last month they had broken up.
The Oprah Network?
Talk-show host, spiritual leader, book club founder, presidential confidante, avid dieter, and all-around swell gal
Oprah Winfrey
is launching her own cable TV network, called, appropriately enough, OWN. (It's short for the Oprah Winfrey Network.) The Hollywood Reporter says OWN, which will begin broadcasting early next year, will offer a show by pro organizer
Peter Walsh
; a talk show about sex with Sirius XM's Dr.
Laura Berman
; and a news feature called
Lisa Ling Investigates
.
No Leno in Beantown?
Ed Ansin
, chief of NBC's Boston affiliate, WHDH-TV, tells the Boston Globe that his station will run a 10 p.m. newscast (in addition to its 11 p.m. news program!) instead of NBC's planned
Jay Leno
show in the fall. Ansin says he doesn't believe Leno will be "effective" in prime time. NBC is reportedly considering transferring its programming to the local Telemundo channel, WNEU.
'ER' moves millions
NBC's
ER
drew 16.4 mil viewers for its finale Thursday, the biggest audience for a drama series finale since CBS'
Murder, She Wrote
in '96. But it broke no records: NBC's sitcom
Cheers
drew 45.5 mil for its '93 finale, and 41.3 mil watched
Seinfeld
sink into nothingness in '98.
Tidbits 'n' pieces
Sarah Jessica Parker
's
Sex and the City
sequel will be released on May 28, 2010.
Alas, Melrose Place alum Heather Locklear, 47, will not be returning to CW's reincarnation of the soap, her rep tells Usmagazine.com.
Charlie Sheen's son Max has remained in an L.A. hospital since his March 14 birth, the actor's rep confirms. But it's not serious: Max needs to gain a bit more weight before he can leave. Max's twin, Bob, is already home.