It’s sort of a tough-love story
Ryan O’Neal says he fired a gun in self-defense to prevent his son from whacking him with a fireplace poker.
O’Neal, 65, was arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm following the incident Saturday night.
He returned to his Malibu home after celebrating former girlfriend Farrah Fawcett‘s 60th birthday, and the fact that she’s cancer-free after four months of treatment.
O’Neal said his visiting son Griffin, 42, who has a history of alcohol and drug problems, grabbed a fireplace poker, started swinging it and grazed him four or five times.
He “aimed at my head, I ducked, he hit his own girlfriend in the head,” said O’Neal. “I got a little nervous at that point and fled to my room … and I got my gun.
“I just fired it into the banister, and that scared him and he fled.”
Griffin O’Neal’s pregnant girlfriend was treated at a hospital and released.
Wham, Bam – look out, ma’am
A few fights broke out at Saturday’s wedding of skateboarder/”Jackass” star Bam Margera to childhood friend Missy Rothstein.
The ceremony was filmed for the finale of Margera’s new MTV reality show, “Bam’s Unholy Union.”
MTV crews were careful to steer clear of Margera’s uncle, Vincent “Don Vito” Margera – known from his nephew’s previous reality show, “Viva La Bam” – who was arrested last week for fondling three underage girls during an appearance at a mall.
Newbie beds: Nick & Jessica
Jessica Simpson says she was stung when ex-husband Nick Lachey jumped back into dating after their recent breakup.
“Two or three weeks later? Yeah, I’d say it kind of hurt me,” says Simpson, who starred along with Lachey in the MTV reality show “Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica.”
Lachey is hanging with MTV’s Vanessa Minnillo these days, while Simpson has been spotted with rocker John Mayer.
Runnin’ with the Dave-o
First it was the announcement of a Police reunion, then word of a new Eagles album – and now Van Halen will launch a summer tour with original singer David Lee Roth.
It will be Roth’s first live performances with the band since 1984, when he was replaced by Sammy Hagar. A brief reunion in 1996 resulted in two new songs but no tour.
Van Halen will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12.
Quoteworthy
Hayden Panettiere, who stars in “Heroes” as indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet: “I die all the time. I feel like Kenny in ‘South Park.’ “
The birthday bunch
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is 90. Actor Patrick MacNee (“The Avengers”) is 85. Actor Rip Torn is 76. Actress Mamie Van Doren is 76. NBC newsman Tom Brokaw is 67. Singer Fabian is 64. Singer Natalie Cole is 57. Actor Jon Walmsley (“The Waltons”) is 51. Actor-director Robert Townsend (“The Parent ‘Hood”) is 50. Actress Kathy Najimy (“Veronica’s Closet,” “King of the Hill”) is 50. Actor Barry Miller (“Saturday Night Fever,” “Fame”) is 49. Actress Megan Gallagher (“Millennium”) is 47. Singer Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses) is 45.