Eminem
Last year, rap superstar Eminem released a video that portrayed his best friend — played by his real-life best bud, Detroit hip-hop legend Proof — being shot in an eruption of street violence. In the early-morning hours of Tuesday, April 11, the gunplay turned real for Proof, 30, who was shot and killed at a nightclub on the city street made infamous in Eminem's 2001 autobiographical film, 8 Mile.
A member of Eminem's D12 group, and the best man at his wedding in January, Proof, born Deshaun Holton, was pronounced dead on arrival at Conner Creek Medical Center after he was shot during a fight at the 3C nightclub on Eight Mile. A revered figure in the Detroit rap scene, Proof, who hosted the popular so-called "battle rap" competitions depicted in 8 Mile, is credited with helping engineer Eminem's rise from an obscure but gifted local rapper into one of hip-hop's biggest superstars.
For Eminem, Proof's death comes on the heels of a drive-by shooting on New Year's Eve, in which another member of this entourage, Obie Trice, was seriously wounded. And on April 5, just 82 days after Proof stood by him at the altar as he remarried Kim Mathers (they had divorced four years earlier), Eminem once again filed for divorce.
At the wedding, Proof reportedly offered a poignant toast extolling the virtues of lasting love, friendship — and long life.
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Oprah Winfrey: Wealth Is 'A Good Thing'
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is a rich woman – and she's got no problem with that.
Speaking in Baltimore on Monday at a fundraiser for Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, Winfrey told the audience, "I have lots of things, like all these Manolo Blahniks. I have all that and I think it's great. I'm not one of those people like, 'Well, we must renounce ourselves.' No, I have a closet full of shoes and it's a good thing."
Winfrey, 52, who is reportedly worth more than $1 billion, said she doesn't feel guilty about her wealth. "I was coming back from Africa on one of my trips," she said. "I had taken one of my wealthy friends with me. She said, 'Don't you just feel guilty? Don't you just feel terrible?' I said, 'No, I don't. I do not know how me being destitute is going to help them.' Then I said when we got home, 'I'm going home to sleep on my Pratesi sheets right now and I'll feel good about it.' "
The talk-show host also discussed an academy for girls that she's building in South Africa. "I want to offer opportunities to girls who have nothing but the will to learn," she said. "I'm going to be opening my school on January 2, and it will be one of the great days of my life to see 450 girls, most of them orphans who would not have had the opportunity for education in their lives, come to school."
Winfrey was the featured speaker at the event, which helped raise more than $1.4 million for scholarships to Baltimore's largest Jewish school.
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Britney Spears and Son Home Safely
Britney and Sean Preston
Britney Spears's six-month-old son, Sean Preston, fell and hit his head on Saturday, April 1, at the Malibu home the pop star shares with husband Kevin Federline, a source close to Spears tells PEOPLE.
While the baby's nanny was lifting him from his high chair, something snapped in the chair and Sean Preston slipped from her arms and fell to the floor, bruising his head. A doctor came to the house that day and examined the child; he seemed fine.
But six days later, Spears and Federline became concerned and took Sean Preston to the hospital emergency room to have him checked out, the source adds. No serious problems were found. Spears, Federline and their son are back home and doing fine now, a second source tells PEOPLE. After the hospital visit, child welfare officials visited Spears's home accompanied by a sheriff's deputy.
"The Department of Children and Family Services called us on Saturday (April 8) and asked us to accompany them to the home of Mrs. Spears for their visit," Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokeswoman Lt. Debra Glafkides tells PEOPLE.
"It's very routine and common for us to accompany them." According to Glafkides, the visit lasted about half an hour and no police report was filed. The Sheriff's Department could not release any further information, and the Department of Children and Family Services generally does not comment on cases due to confidentiality laws.
"While there was an automatic report by the hospital to the Department of Children and Family Services, DCFS immediately responded and determined there was no problem and no reason to open a formal investigation," Spears's attorney Marty Singer tells PEOPLE. "They determined that the parents were not involved in any injury and that nothing improper was done within the home."
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Clothing Company Sues Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
A California-based clothing manufacturer is suing Jessica Simpson for $100 million, claiming she breached their contract by failing to support lines of apparel she developed with the company.
Tarrant Apparel Group (TAG) of Los Angeles says in court papers that an agreement it signed in December 2004 with Jessica Simpson Brand Management LLC lets it use Simpson's name to make, sell, market and distribute women's sportswear.
TAG's court papers say that same three-year agreement, which has a two-year renewal option, requires that "Ms. Simpson shall be actively involved in promoting (TAG's) products, whether requested or not" by the company.
The singer also must "publicly wear/display or use the products, particularly at events, shows and appearances," say papers filed last week in Manhattan's state Supreme Court. The clothing brands are Jessica Simpson, Princy, and JS by Jessica. A fourth brand, scheduled for market in January 2007 is Sweet Kisses.
TAG says it has already paid Simpson $2.2 million with another $1.6 million guaranteed as a sales royalty for 2004 and 2005 and an additional $4.4 million guaranteed for the remainder of the contract.
The company accuses Simpson of breaching the multimillion-dollar deal by failing to wear or be photographed in the duds and has even named another brand of blue jeans as her favorites.
Simpson's lawyer, Jed Ferdinand, said: "She denies it. It's absolutely untrue. That's what the evidence will show, and she will vigorously fight the lawsuit."
Ferdinand and TAG's lawyer, Jack Gordon, said the parties had tried to resolve the dispute but negotiations failed.
"We are saddened that relations deteriorated to the point where litigation became necessary," Gordon said. "The fact is that celebrity branded apparel requires the support of the celebrity."
Simpson, 25, and her husband, singer Nick Lachey, 32, announced their separation on Nov. 23, saying they had decided to part ways after three years of marriage and months of rumors, denials and salacious magazine covers.
Simpson's 2004 album, "In This Skin," went platinum, and she released a Christmas album last year.
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Tori Spelling's Divorce to Become Final
Tori Spelling's first marriage to actor Charlie Shanian will be officially dissolved on April 20, 2006 clearing the way for her to marry fiance Dean McDermott, according to a report syndicated TV news magazine "Entertainment Tonight". L-R: Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott attend the a party to promote the premiere of the new VH1 scripted comedy, So Notorious staring Tori Spelling, held at the XL Lounge, Friday, March 31, 2006 in New York.
Tori Spelling's first marriage will be officially over next week, clearing the way for her to marry fiance Dean McDermott, according to a report.
In court documents obtained Tuesday by syndicated TV news magazine "Entertainment Tonight", a Superior Court commissioner stated that Spelling's marriage to actor Charlie Shanian will be dissolved on April 20.
Shanian filed for the divorce in October, a little more than a year after marrying the former "Beverly Hills, 90210" star. He cited dissolution of marriage.
Spelling and McDermott became engaged in December. The two met last year while working on the TV movie "Mind Over Murder."
Spelling, who is the daughter of producer Aaron Spelling, is starring as a fictionalized version of herself in VH1's "so noTORIous."
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New Details on The Sheriff's Visit to Britney's
Britney Spears and her son Sean Preston
So why were child welfare authorities summoned to pop star BRITNEY SPEARS home? Yesterday, "The Insider" broke the news that The Department Of Children and Family Services called and asked for a Sheriff's deputy to accompany DCFS investigators to the home of Britney and KEVIN FEDERLINE Saturday around 1 p.m.
"It's a very standard, routine patrol request," Lt. DEBRA GLASKIDES said Tuesday of the officer's visit. "We just roll out with them. We stood by, we took no action, no report or anything."
"The Insider" obtained video of the sheriffs visiting the star's home but the department revealed no further information about the reason for the pop-in. DCFS officials do not discuss cases, citing confidentiality laws.
This is the second time the department visited the posh Malibu property. In February, authorities paid a call to Britney's residence when paparazzi photos of the superstar and new mom driving with son SEAN PRESTON in her lap surfaced on the Internet. No charges were ever filed for that incident.
