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BIRTHS
Actress Bridget Moynahan (Six Degrees), 36, and her ex-boyfriend, New
England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, 30, welcomed a boy, John Edward
Thomas, on Aug. 22 in L.A.... Actress Jacinda Barrett (The Namesake) and
her husband, actor Gabriel Macht, both 35, greeted their first child,
daughter Satine Anais Geraldine, on Aug. 20 in L.A.
ACCIDENTS
Nick Hogan (né Nick Bollea), 17, son of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan
and star of the VH1 series Hogan Knows Best, was injured in a car crash
Aug. 26 in Clearwater, Fla., that police believe occurred while he was
speeding. Hogan's car was destroyed after it hit a raised median,
flipped, and collided with a palm tree. Hogan was released from the
hospital the next day with non-life-threatening injuries. Passenger John
Graziano, 27, was hospitalized with critical injuries....
Oscar-nominated director John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood), 39,
accidentally struck and killed jaywalking pedestrian Constance Russell,
57, on Aug. 23 in L.A. Police say Singleton, who was not speeding or
under the influence of drugs or alcohol, hit Russell when she stepped in
front of his car in the Jefferson Park neighborhood. No charges are
being filed against the filmmaker.
COURTS
On Aug. 9, thieves broke into the NYC hotel room of Kirsten Dunst(Spider-Man 3), 25, and allegedly stole credit cards, a $13,000 handbag,
and other personal belongings. Two suspects have been taken into
custody: Jarrod Beinerman, 33, was arrested on Aug. 21, and his alleged
accomplice James Jimenez, 26, turned himself in on Aug. 26. Both face
burglary charges. Lawyers for the two say they will plead not guilty....
Austin Nichols (John From Cincinnati), 27, was arrested on Aug. 24 in
Jackson, Mich., on suspicion of DUI. Police say they smelled alcohol on
the actor's breath after he was pulled over for allegedly driving the
wrong way down a one-way street. He was released after five hours in
jail, and is expected in court on Oct. 2.... Police raided the Cave
Creek, Ariz., home of rapper DMX (né Earl Simmons), 36, on Aug. 24 after
neighbors complained that dogs on the property were subjected to extreme
heat and being mistreated. Police say 12 distressed canines were found
on the property, along with the remains of three dogs and a half pound
of suspected marijuana. No charges have been filed and an investigation
is ongoing. DMX's lawyer says the rapper ''is guilty of nothing.''...
Emmy-nominated writer Morris ''Buddy'' Sheffield (In Living Color), 57,
sued the Disney Channel for breach of contract on Aug. 23 in L.A.
claiming its hit show Hannah Montana bears a strong resemblance to a
show he pitched the company in 2001 called Rock and Roland.
AILING
Rock & roll pioneer Bo Diddley, 78, suffered a heart attack on Aug. 24,
in Gainesville, Fla. He underwent surgery and is in stable condition at
North Florida Regional Medical Center.
DEATHS
Theater, TV, and film actor Robert Symonds (Dynasty, Catch Me if You
Can), 80, of complications from cancer, Aug. 23, in L.A. — Additional reporting by Stewart Allen
Grace Paley 1922-2007
''The tendency, I suppose, is to forget,'' she once wrote, but Paley — who
died of breast cancer Aug. 22 at age 84 — had no reason to fear. The Bronx
native wrote three beloved books of fiction (her Collected Stories was
nominated for the 1995 Pulitzer Prize), and her legacy as a teacher,
antiwar activist, and women's rights advocate will endure as long as her
indelible characters. — Whitney Pastornek
Was Ang Lee Overrated?
Suddenly, the Brokeback Mountain controversy seems quaint. Oscar-winning
director Ang Lee's erotic espionage thriller Lust, Caution (out Sept.
28) has been rated NC-17 by the MPAA for strong sexual content. The
decision could affect its box office, since most major theater chains
refuse to show films with the rating, which denies admission to those
under 17. In a statement, Focus Features CEO and Lust co-writer James
Schamus said, ''As with so many of his previous films, Ang has crafted a
masterpiece about and for grown-ups.'' Lee does not plan to alter
Lust's content for a softer rating. — Adam Markovitz
