August 21, 2009 in Features

Simone says, ‘I’m sorry’

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Simone
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Chima Simone is saying she’s sorry – but not for getting kicked off “Big Brother 11.”

The 33-year-old freelance journalist is apologizing for calling a houseguest of Lebanese descent a terrorist.

Last week, the CBS reality series showed Simone – who was kicked off for reasons that had nothing to do with the name calling – feuding with mixed martial arts fighter Russell Kairouz, who is Lebanese-American.

She called him a “terrorist because you’re terrorizing everybody in the house.” He replied that Simone, who’s black, was “the true racist.”

“I used a phrase that was insensitive given his Middle Eastern descent, and I apologize to all who are justifiably offended with my use of that racially charged term,” Simone wrote in an e-mail to Hollyscoop.com.

She was expelled from “Big Brother 11” after refusing orders from producers to wear a microphone, then tossing it into the backyard’s whirlpool spa.

Oprah, we have a Houston

Whitney Houston is staging a much-hyped career comeback with an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Houston will be Winfrey’s first guest as the talk queen launches her 24th season on Sept. 14.

The singer, who’s battled drug problems, has a new album, “I Look to You,” due Aug. 31.

An upper-crust lifestyle

Speaking of Oprah, she’s fessing up to her love of a Cape Cod pie company’s creations.

A spokeswoman initially denied that Winfrey purchased a pile of pies from Centerville Pie Co. while visiting for Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s funeral.

A co-owner says she delivered 20 pies, including chicken, custard and banana cream.

The birthday bunch

Singer Kenny Rogers is 71. Actor Clarence Williams III (“The Mod Squad”) is 70. Singer Jackie DeShannon is 68. Newsman Harry Smith is 58. Actress Kim Cattrall is 53. Actress Carrie-Anne Moss is 39. Singer Kelis is 30. Actress Hayden Panettiere is 20.

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