Reeve is trying her best to be a woman of steel
Christopher Reeve‘s wife says she remembers how he dealt with his own tragedy as she tries to work through the “void in our home life” after his death. “It was always his intention to keep life going even after adversity,” Dana Reeve says. “That was the spirit he lived by.”
The woman who spent nine years caring for her famous husband – the one-time Hollywood “Superman” turned activist for spinal cord research after a horse-riding accident – says she will soon return to her own acting career.
First, a fund-raising dinner is planned tonight for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. Minnie Driver is the host, Paul Simon will entertain and Glenn Close will receive an award.
Dana Reeve said that while the evening – which was planned before her husband’s death – has evolved into something of a tribute to him, it’s important “that we’re also thinking about the future and about fund-raising and about keeping his mission alive.”
The foundation funds research on paralysis and works to improve the lives of the disabled.
And they’re also looking for Buck’s knife
Police were searching Wednesday for rapper Young Buck in connection with a stabbing at Monday’s Vibe Awards after his musical mentor, Dr. Dre, was punched just before being handed a lifetime achievement award.
Dre’s assailant was dragged away by security staff but suffered a serious stab wound when he was attacked by a number of people, including Buck, according to police.
Buck is part of 50 Cent‘s G-Unit, which was named best group at the music magazine awards show.
Wacko Jacko had some real mad money
A former producer and business associate of Michael Jackson is suing the pop star, claiming he hasn’t been paid more than $3 million in loans and producing fees.
In addition to $800,000 still owed for producing two TV specials, J. Marc Schaffel says he hasn’t been repaid for $2.3 million in loans.
That includes $600,000 to buy a piece of jewelry for Elizabeth Taylor and $1 million to pay Marlon Brando for appearing in a Jackson concert and music video, the suit says. Jackson also received $500,000 in “emergency cash” after the Sept. 11 attacks “in case he needed to take shelter underground somewhere with his family.”
Now they’re beating up on poor Liza
Liza Minnelli says in court papers that her former bodyguard and her estranged husband, David Gest, have joined forces to attack and embarrass her publicly.
Both Gest and M’Hammed Soumayah, who claims he was forced to have sex with Minnelli in order to keep his job, allege in lawsuits that they were beaten by her.
While Gest has come forward to support Soumayah, Minnelli says that neither one previously said in legal filings that they saw her hit the other.
Minnelli and Gest were married in a star-studded ceremony that featured Michael Jackson as best man and Elizabeth Taylor as maid of honor.
What exactly did Kitty drag in?
An Alabama freelance writer is suing celebrity biographer Kitty Kelley, claiming she plagiarized his work in her new book about President Bush and his family.
The $5 million lawsuit claims that Spokane native Kelley lifted passages word-for-word from an article Glynn Wilson wrote for a journalism Web site.
A spokeswoman for Kelley’s publisher, Random House, called the suit “meritless.”
The birthday bunch
Actress Linda Evans is 62. Actor Jameson Parker is 57. Singer Graham Parker is 54. Comedian Kevin Nealon is 51. Actress Elizabeth Perkins is 44. Actor Owen Wilson is 36. Singer Duncan Sheik is 35. Actress Peta Wilson is 34. Actress Chloe Sevigny is 30. Rapper Fabolous is 25.