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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Doctor says Gibb is awake, has cancer

From Wire Reports

Bee Gees star Robin Gibb has advanced colorectal cancer and remains in intensive care after waking from a coma, his doctor said Sunday. The statement confirmed the exact nature of the illness afflicting the artist.

Dr. Andrew Thillainayagam said Gibb had recently caught pneumonia because he was weakened from chemotherapy and two operations.

The 62-year-old singer fell into a coma last week after contracting the pneumonia. Thillainayagam said that three days ago he had warned Gibb’s family that he may not wake up. Instead, Gibb is now fully conscious and able to speak.

Thillainayagam said Gibb is still in intensive care and is “exhausted, extremely weak and malnourished.” He is breathing with the help of an oxygen mask and needs intravenous feeding and antibiotics.

The Bee Gees – British-born, Australia-raised brothers Robin, Barry and Maurice Gibb – had a string of disco-era hits including “How Deep is Your Love” and “Stayin’ Alive.”

Unauthorized bio spills Cowell secrets

He gets colonic irrigations, Botox injections and vitamin drips, and insists on black toilet paper in his home.

A revealing new biography offers intimate – some might say too intimate – details about Simon Cowell, along with a portrait of the entertainment mogul’s savvy business side.

“Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell” is written by British journalist and biographer Tom Bower.

Cowell, 52, has gained fame in both Britain and North America as producer and an acerbic judge on TV talent shows including “The X Factor” and “America’s Got Talent.”

Bower says he became fascinated by the story of a middle-aged music producer who struck gold by turning the old-fashioned talent contest into a slick 21st century phenomenon – and in the process earned a fortune estimated at $320 million by the Sunday Times Rich List.

Cowell has stressed that the book was not written with his approval, tweeting: “This book is not written by me. It is unauthorized. The writer is Tom Bower.”

The birthday bunch

Actor David Birney is 73. Actor Lee Majors (“Six Million Dollar Man”) is 73. Actress Joyce DeWitt (“Three’s Company”) is 63. Director Michael Moore is 58. Actress Jan Hooks is 55. Actress Valerie Bertinelli is 52. Comedian George Lopez is 51. Actress Melina Kanakaredes (“Providence”) is 45. Guitarist Tim Womack (Sons of the Desert) is 44. Actor Kal Penn (“House M.D.,” “Harold and Kumar”) is 35. Actor Dev Patel (“Slumdog Millionaire”) is 22. Actor Matthew Underwood (“Zoey 101”) is 22.