Rimes and Misdemeanors

LEGALESE You know the old saying: If you're old enough to be a multiplatinum country star, you're old enough to have a couple of lawsuits on your plate as well. LeAnn Rimes, 18, has filed a lawsuit to void her contract with her Nashville label, Curb Records. Rimes' parents struck the record deal on her behalf when she was 12 years old. The Grammy winning crooner -- who also filed a suit against her father, Wilbur, and a former manager earlier this year for some $7 million in allegedly siphoned funds -- wants the label to give up rights to her past work, publishing interests, and recordings. ''Her career has blossomed, something that couldn't be predicted when she was 12 years old,'' her attorney, Tom Rhodus, told the Associated Press. ''LeAnn simply wants to be her own person. She wants to speak for herself, and she wants to make her own deals.'' But the label's lawyer, John David, says he thinks she will be forced to uphold the contract. ''She has a valid and binding agreement. That is the law,'' he said.

MOB SCENE No, that wasn't a comet portending the end of the world we saw streaming across the sky last night, it was just the Backstreet Boys making history on their 100 hour world tour. Still, their first stop in Japan did not go off without a hitch. About 10 people were injured in a wailing bobby socks melee on Saturday when the group arrived at Tokyo's Narrate airport. But the confusion didn't stop the boys from thrilling thousands of Japanese girls in concert later that evening. AJ, Howie D., Kevin, Brian, and Nick floated on a sparkling ship to their Tokyo Bayside venue with their arms flung around each other, singing songs from their album ''Black & Blue'' (due Nov. 21). In the next few days, BSB will hit Sydney, Australia, Cape Town, South Africa, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before wrapping up the publicity stunt in New York. ''We are in the making of history. Nobody has done this before,'' Brian told Reuters Television. At last, the East - West divide has crumbled and the world is united under the flag of the Backstreet Boys.

NUPTIALS Hollywood bigwigs were out in force Saturday for the long anticipated marriage of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Jack Nicholson, Anthony Hopkins, Danny DeVito, and Goldie Hawn were among some 250 guests to make an appearance at New York's Plaza Hotel for the ceremony. The star studded event reportedly cost the couple about $2 million.

CASTING ''Spider-Man'' has found its Green Goblin. Willem Dafoe has committed to star opposite Tobey Maguire in the upcoming Columbia Pictures adaptation. John Malkovich was previously considered for the role, but he and the studio could not reach an agreement, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Shooting is scheduled to begin in January.... Kurt Russell is in negotiations to join Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz and Cameron Diaz in the Cameron Crowe directed thriller ''Vanilla Sky''.

REEL DEAL Filmmakers are boldly going where many have gone before -- in making yet another ''Star Trek'' movie. Patrick Stewart (Jean Luc Picard) and Brent Spiner (Data) have signed on to reprise their roles in a new ''Next Generation'' flick. Details of the plot have not been released, but we have it from an inside source that it may involve a journey to a prison planet where inmates are forced to watch countless feature adaptations of popular sci fi television shows.

EXPECTING Oasis' Liam Gallagher will soon have a new rival for his whining stage antics. The 28 year old is expecting a baby with his new girlfriend, All Saints' Nicole Appleton, 25. The youngest -- and brattiest -- Gallagher recently divorced his wife Patsy Kensit. Thank goodness he's still working hard to keep the British tabs busy.

SPLIT Patricia Arquette has filed for divorce from Nicolas Cage, citing ''irreconcilable differences.'' The two split earlier this year when Cage filed for divorce from Arquette. But he later rescinded the procedures. ''After several months of attempting to resolve their differences, [Cage and Arquette] acknowledge that divorce proceedings have begun,'' Cage's publicist said in a statement.

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