How ‘bout a Kabbalah kids?
Madonna‘s publicist is pooh-poohing reports that she plans to adopt a child from the impoverished African country of Malawi.
Government officials said Wednesday that they expected the pop star, who’s working on several projects to help AIDS orphans in Malawai, to file adoption papers.
“I have no information or confirmation regarding Madonna adopting an individual child. She’s kind of adopting an entire country of children,” her publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said.
Madonna’s visit has generated huge excitement in Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, which usually only makes headlines because of its grim cycle of drought, hunger and disease.
Her project, called Raising Malawi, aims to set up an orphan care center to provide food, education and shelter for up to 4,000 children.
It will be based in part on Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism that has gained popularity in recent years and which counts the 48-year-old singer among its devotees.
More baby steps
Elsewhere on the celebrity baby beat, it’s a girl for Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, who welcomed daughter Ramona on Tuesday. Next, they plan to marry.
And Tori Spelling and her actor husband, Dean McDermott, announced they’re expecting their first child together.
The 33-year-old Spelling, daughter of the late producer Aaron Spelling, is due in the spring.
Getting his Irish up
Kim Basinger will go to trial on criminal contempt charges after pleading not guilty to disregarding court orders concerning ex-husband Alec Baldwin‘s visitation rights with their daughter.
Baldwin claims Basinger failed to let him know she would be out of town so he could take care of their 10-year-old daughter, Ireland.
One time, he said, she also didn’t tell him Ireland was injured and required medical help.
For Love or money?
A man describing himself as a “mentor and guide” to R. Kelly is suing the singer, claiming that Kelly attacked him and reneged on an agreement to pay him for a song idea.
Henry “Love” Vaughn says he was attacked and held in a basement against his will after going to Kelly’s home to watch a basketball game. Police investigated but filed no charges.
The suit also claims that the song “Step in the Name of Love” was Vaughn’s idea, and Kelly promised to give him half the proceeds.
A Kelly rep denied all the allegations.
Unarmed and dangerous
Travis Barker, the subject of a nightclub brawl between Paris Hilton and estranged wife, Shanna Moakler, has a broken arm.
The tattooed drummer of the rock band (+44) – pronounced “plus forty-four” – broke his right arm Sept. 9 while shooting a music video, his publicist said.
Both Hilton – who reportedly was videotaped making out with Barker – and Moakler filed battery claims against each other following their fracas Wednesday.
The birthday bunch
Actress Britt Ekland is 64. Actress Elisabeth Shue is 43. Singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet is 42. Actress Jacqueline Obradors (“NYPD Blue”) is 40. Actor Ioan Gruffudd (“Horatio Hornblower”) is 33.