Judge backs Newton in fight with landlord
A judge granted Wayne Newton a temporary restraining order against his landlord Thursday amid stalled plans to turn his lavish Las Vegas estate into a celebrity museum – a project that has sparked allegations of fraud, mismanagement, animal abuse and sexual harassment.
Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez ruled that developer Steve Kennedy must stay 50 feet away from the Newton family and their home, effectively putting the brakes on construction to turn Newton’s Casa de Shenandoah estate into a tourist attraction.
Kennedy, the manager of CSD LLC, filed a lawsuit two weeks ago claiming the Newton family was unwilling to move out of the house so it could be converted into a museum. The Newtons filed counterclaims alleging breach of contract and fraud.
Madonna launches world tour in Israel
Pop music star Madonna treated tens of thousands of ecstatic fans in Israel to the inaugural show of her “MDNA” world tour on Thursday, performing in a country where she has long claimed a special bond. Madonna, a devotee of a form of Jewish mysticism known as Kabbalah, performed before a raucous crowd at Ramat Gan stadium near Tel Aviv.
While some artists have opted to boycott Israel because of its policies toward Palestinians, the 53-year-old Madonna’s ties to the Jewish state have only strengthened in the last few years. She has made personal pilgrimages in 2004 and 2007 along with other Kabbalah devotees. She wrapped up her 2008-2009 “Sticky and Sweet” tour with two shows in the Holy Land.
Judge Judy debuts online forum
Judge Judy is doing more than holding court on TV. She’s now dishing out advice online.
Judy Sheindlin said the goal of her new website is to share her ideas about life, create a forum to discuss a variety of issues and to “have a little fun.”
She’ll have her say on topics including romance, prenuptial agreements and child-rearing. On the matter of “roommates with benefits,” for instance, Sheindlin advises, “Joint nothing; separate everything!”
“Judge Judy,” her top-rated daytime syndicated show, is in its 16th year.
The birthday bunch
Actor Andy Griffith is 86. Singer Pat Boone is 78. Actor Morgan Freeman is 75. Actor Rene Auberjonois is 72. Opera singer Frederica von Stade is 67. Actor Brian Cox is 66. Rock musician Ronnie Wood is 65. Actor Jonathan Pryce is 65. Actor Powers Boothe is 64. Country singer Ronnie Dunn is 59. Actress Lisa Hartman Black is 56. Model-actress Heidi Klum is 39. Singer Alanis Morissette is 38. Pop singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile is 31.