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Mean Magazine Hosts Record Release Party for Ashlee Simpson. Ashlee Simpson and Shane West Kelly Osbourne

McGregor Falls Into River While Trekking Globeimdb.comEwan McGregor recently encountered a frightening situation as he neared the end of his marathon motorcycle trek - he got stuck in a muddy river. The Moulin Rouge star, who embarked on the 20,000 mile global journey with friend Charlie Boorman on April 14, was biking through Mongolia when the scary incident happened. McGregor writes on website Ridernews.Net, "It was so rainy and muddy that we couldn't get anywhere, we just kept getting stuck and falling off. The worst bit of the whole trip so far though, was when I fell off in a river. It was what I was dreading the most. I had nightmares of baling out and filling the engine with water and stranding us in the middle of nowhere. The moment finally happened when I crossed a river and hit a massive boulder hidden under water. Luckily, as the bike began to fall I hit the kill switch, stopping the engine before it sucked in water. When we dragged it out of the river, it was fine." The epic motorbike journey is being filmed for a seven-part documentary series, Long Way Round, and ends in New York later this week.

people.comFeet FirstOkay, so you're a celebrity, and you're going to the VH1 Save the Music benefit Friday night in the Hamptons (to be hosted by Ashanti ). Do you wear the comfy flip-flops, or the sexy stilettos that look hot but kill your feet? No worries: There will be a ? get this ? shoe valet to hold your heels while you party in new flip-flops provided by Target. You can recover your heels from the valet before you leave, if you haven't had too many mojitos. We couldn't make this stuff up.

people.com Those Simpson sisters, they share everything ? including aspiring pop star Ryan Cabrera. Twenty-year-old Cabrera, whose debut album hits stores next month, is opening for Jessica on some dates of her Reality tour ? and he's also dating younger sis Ashlee, 19. "I'm with Ryan," she told us at the release party for her own CD, Autobiography, at New York nightspot PM this week. The 5-month-old pair recently reconciled after a brief hiatus, she said, because "we like each other too much." Ashlee, who is finished with her role on The WB show 7th Heaven (though she may go back for guest spots) and is pursuing a movie career, told us she had hesitated to get into the music biz. "I was more shy (than Jessica) about singing," Ashlee says. "I never really knew I could do a record. It's something I always really, really wanted, but I didn't know because I kind of felt like that's her thing, I don't need to do that. But I really wanted to ? so I just did it." The two sisters are planning to share something else this holiday season: Their father, Joe, tells us that Ashlee will join Jessica for a duet on her Christmas album.

Date of birth: August 14, 1968 Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio Vital stats: 5'7" State of the unions: ?I want love and I'll find it hopefully and have a committed relationship, but no more marriages.? Where you?ve seen her: As a Revlon spokesmodel and in the movies The Last Boy Scout, Boomerang, The Flintstones, X-Men, Swordfish, Monster?s Ball, Die Another Day, X-Men 2, and Gothika. Already a Golden Globe winner, she picked up an Oscar in 2001 for her role in Monster?s Ball, becoming the first black woman to win the Best Actress award. You can now catch her as the foxy feline superheroine in the action-romp Catwoman. @#%$-whipper: ?Catwoman?s been done by great women, and I?m just hoping I can stand among them and add some of my own personality. It?s great?lots of fight training and whip work. I?m trying to get my purr just right.? Out, out damn spot! ?I don't buy into that pressure to be glamorous all the time. It's impossible. I mean, you get a pimple in the morning, you wake up with bags under your eyes, you see if you can use it in your work, maybe incorporate it into your character.? Sexual healing: ?Ever since I did that [topless] scene in Swordfish, I have been a lot more comfortable with my sexuality. I can still do sexy photo shoots, be sexual on screen, and have an Oscar at home. That makes me feel really good about myself.? Girl on girls: ?I love women?I mean, I?m not making an admission here of anything about my sexual orientation. But I really like women, and I like being a woman.? Beauty queen: She was Miss USA first runner-up in 1986 and Miss Teen All-American in 1985.

E! Departure May Yield Rivers-Free Emmys (Thursday, July 22 10:25 AM) LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) This is one of those moments that makes you wonder if it's even worth living until September at all. Joan and Melissa Rivers will, reportedly, be missing this year's Emmy Red Carpet. Earlier this summer, Team Rivers bolted from its longtime residence on E! to shinier and more lucrative digs on the TV Guide Channel. The move was fueled by the fact that TV Guide Channel, eager to provide viewers with more original content, offered to pay Joan and Melissa Rivers $6 million over the next three years. The problem is that fans of both Rivers women love their catty red carpet commentary and E! has an exclusive deal with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences to make it the only cable venue on the carpet. The deal carries through 2005, which means that viewers may have to handle two consecutive Emmy Awards without the immediate gratification of being advised as to which celebrities looked the best. According to The LA Times, which is mourning this development, TV Guide knew about E!'s contract, but hoped to find a way around it somehow. "We find it puzzling that the academy would strike a deal that limits the promotion of their flagship event and deprives fans of Joan and Melissa, the two personalities that personify the red carpet and that viewers tune in to see," says TV Guide spokesperson Chris Levesque. As of now, TV Guide has no plans to cover the Emmys, which will air on ABC on Sept. 19, this year.

Damon and Affleck Have Seven-Year Itch to Write Again Thu, Jul 22, 2004, 09:07 AM PT By Mike Szymanski LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) -- Matt Damon says he and Ben Affleck plan to sit down and write again -- soon, but he's not sure about what, or how it will get done. "We talked about it when I saw him last night, it's something we talk about every time we see each other," Damon tells Zap2it.com when doing interviews for his latest film "The Bourne Supremacy" which opens Friday (July 23). "It's about seven years that we've both been working consistently, having struggled for so long through our teens and early 20s, it's kind of an anathema to us to turn down work," Damon sighs. "So that's what I think we'll have to do, to try to write something. We'll just have to block out the time." Boston-bred buddies, Damon and Affleck won the best original screenplay Oscar for "Good Will Hunting" in 1997, and Damon was nominated as best actor the year that Jack Nicholson won for "As Good as it Gets." Affleck has yet to be nominated for an acting role. For now, Affleck is busy after buying the rights to the Dennis Lehane mystery novel "Gone, Baby, Gone," Damon says. "A lot depends on whether he wants to be in it or wants to direct it or where his head's at. But I've been so busy doing all these other movies that we haven't had a chance to sit down and do any writing for some time. We want to do it, but it's just a matter of kind of handling the logistics, and finding a way to get us in the same place at the same time." Damon now lives in New York, Affleck lives in Manhattan. Also, Affleck no longer now has the J.Lo factor. "For both of us, probably, the most creatively fulfilling experience was 'Good Will Hunting,' just because we took an idea from its very beginning and shepherded it all the way through until it was a film," says Damon, instinctively picking up Zap2it's mini-cassette recorder when the tape clicked off. He flipped the tape, pressed the record button and began speaking again. "This is how we use to write, actually," Damon says. "We'd improvise all the scenes, so I'm used to these little guys."

EOnline.com HERE KITTY, KITTY: Country star LeAnn Rimes kicking off Friskies More Cat Habitat Shelter Program Thursday in Long Island, helping cat lovers cast their votes at Friskies.com for the 10 shelters that will receive $10,000 grants. The program aims to help shelter cats live happier, healthier lives. LENDING A HAND: Wyclef Jean planning a December 5 benefit concert in his native Haiti to promote peace, love and understanding. Proceeds will go toward stabilizing the Caribbean nation.

Young Slams Lecherous Beatty imdb.com Actress Sean Young claims she was forced out of her role in 1990 film Dick Tracy - after rebuffing the advances of leading man Warren Beatty. The Wall Street beauty, 44, was cast in the role of Beatty's love interest Tess Trueheart in the comic book adaptation, but was replaced by actress Glenne Headley after she turned Warren down. She fumes, "In the seven days we worked together, he just made advances. I was unresponsive and kept joking, 'Ha ha - what a ladies' man you are.' But I made it very clear to him that I wasn't interested." At the time, the then-single Beatty said via his spokesperson, "I made a mistake casting Sean Young in the part and I felt very badly about it." He went on to enjoy a short-lived romance with his other love interest Madonna, who played the vampish Breathless Mahoney.

Harrison's Canal Holiday Boosts Businessimdb.comHollywood superstar Harrison Ford 's recent canal boat holiday in Wales has massively boosted business for the firm who leased them a boat. Maestermyn Hire Cruises, the company who rented a six-berth narrow boat to Ford and his lover Calista Flockhart , have seen business triple since press coverage of the couple's trip. And now the firm is expanding their fleet of boats, they have decided to name one of the new vessels in tribute to Flockhart - by giving it the moniker Calista. Co-owner Chris Hill says, "Interest has increased ten-fold. Aside from all the people who are calling just to ask if they can sit on the boat, genuine enquiries have forced an increase in the number of boats on hire. We're fitting one out now and there are two more in the pipeline. We're intending to name one Calista." According to insiders, Flockhart was so impressed with the holiday she has asked for more information on canals to be sent to her Los Angeles home.

Berry Reveals Her Damon Crush imdb.com Halle Berry left Matt Damon red faced when the Oscar winners appeared on MTV show Total Request Live together yesterday - when she confessed to having a crush on him. Damon blushed as Berry recalled meeting the actor for the first time on The Tonight Show in America, just after his big break in Good Will Hunting. She recalled, "Remember I saw you on Jay Leno and you were a guest there, and you seemed so brand new at the time. I remember thinking, 'God, he is so bleepity bleeping hot.' That movie (Good Will Hunting) really stuck in my mind because I watched it with extra zeal because I'd just met you on the stage that night."

Damon says it's just luck that he's hot & Affleck's notBy HENRY CABOT BECKDAILY NEWS WRITERDamon's at Sea: The star returns in sequel 'The Bourne Supremacy.'He has had unexpected successes and major flops, but Matt Damon is bouncing back again.Unlike his buddy Ben Affleck, Damon has managed to follow up their screenwriting Oscar for "Good Will Hunting" without dressing up in red tights ("Daredevil") blowing up asteroids ("Armageddon") or making horrible movies with his fiancee.But Damon won't criticize his friend's choices, nor is he trying to be the anti-Ben."There's not enough reaction time for me to lay back and watch Ben's mistakes and learn from them," says Damon, 33."After 'Good Will Hunting' I did 'Saving Private Ryan' [1998] and he did 'Armageddon' [1998]. Either of us could have been offered the other role, but the [perception] was, once 'Good Will Hunting' came out, that I was the genius and Ben was the dolt."That he went on to do the big glitzy movie and I was in the big classy movie - that was more luck than anything."But I think now, especially with 'Gigli' [2003] and 'Jersey Girl' [2004] not doing that well, and because he just got unlucky and ended up in the crosshairs of those tabloid magazines, he got screwed."Damon is willing to take some of the heat for the sad state of the Ben and Matt Show. Take "The Legend of Bagger Vance" (2000)."I was the lead in a film directed by Robert Redford based on this really popular book that I read and liked," he says. "Everything was lined up right but ultimately it didn't work."I just didn't get it, and it wasn't for lack of trying. I really did try. But I think it would have been better if Redford had played that role himself because I think he had the gravitas for that part - it would have been a different movie, of course, but it might have been much better.""The Bourne Supremacy," which opens Friday, is the second film starring Damon as novelist Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne, the assassin who suffered amnesia at the beginning of the first picture, "The Bourne Identity" (2002).The earlier picture did far beyond anyone's expectations - grossing more than $121 million in the U.S. and doing well on DVD and tape."It had a big word of mouth because for one thing, people liked it, and for another, it wasn't jammed down their throats," Damon says. "It didn't have that bombastic, pretentious pitch behind it, demanding that people had to run to the theater on the first weekend."And it did well on video because it's evidently something that people like to watch again."It might also have something to do with Damon's appeal, which, like the Bourne pictures, seems to grow over time."I can tell the difference between a personality and an actor, and Matt is definitely an actor," says Brian Cox, who plays the "Bourne" villain for the second time. "What's most interesting is that he's in a very embryonic stage. We're watching his career unfold over time."Joan Allen, who joins the series as the CIA figure in charge of finding Bourne, recalls Damon's attention to detail."There was a scene where Matt was in a hospital bed, hooked up to monitors, and he turned to the crew and told them that they had the vital signs on the monitor all wrong for Jason Bourne, who was in fantastic shape," she says. "He was that aware of his character's conditioning."Damon is also aware that his movie opens during presidential campaign season. He's a very public supporter of his home-state senator John Kerry."The Republicans are extremely good at negatively characterizing the influence of Hollywood on politics, so it's almost like you can do more harm than good by throwing support behind someone," he says.But he's not worried."It's a good time to be wealthy in America. And you've got to really be doing something that flies in the face of my beliefs to get me to turn my nose up at [the Bush administration's] 5% tax break."Originally published on July 21, 2004

Damon: I've Never Votedimdb.comShamefaced Matt Damon has confessed he has never voted, even though best pal Ben Affleck is a leading celebrity Democrat. While Affleck makes plans to hit the campaign trail with Democrat presidential hopeful John Kerry , Damon reveals he always felt his vote meant nothing. The actor says, "My reasoning has always been - and this is the worst thing to say - that because I'm from Massachusetts, everyone I would have ever voted for didn't need my vote. That's changing now because of where we're going in this country (America)." Damon insists he'll be the among the first Bostonians registering to vote in November . He adds, "I'll vote for John Kerry. The last election I had this feeling everyone was just going toward the middle and it's the same thing no matter what, and it turned out to be the most politically critical moment in my lifetime."

Page Six SIGHTINGSPRINCE, clad in a silk robe and glow-in- the-dark sneakers, blowing kisses to himself onscreen at Butter as he watched a video of one of his Garden concerts with a crowd that included the Rev. Al Sharpton . . .

Page SixWE HEAR . . THAT DAVID Schwimmer keeps calling his ex-girlfriend Gina Lee, lead singer of punkers Unisex Salon, even though she has a new beau, Scott Meola of the Sons of Sound ? and Meola's getting annoyed by Schwimmer's persistence. . .

BRIDAL SUIT GETS TO THE POINT Page Six WEDDING couture queen Vera Wang's clients are walking on pins and needles ? literally. Two women have filed a lawsuit claiming they had to undergo surgery after pins punctured their feet while they were trying on Wang's wedding gowns. Lawyer Max D. Leifer, who is representing perforated plaintiffs Melissa Brennan and Alexandra Harwin, told PAGE SIX's Tom Sykes : "In each case, a needle got into their foot and a part of it broke off and traveled into the foot. They needed surgery and were on crutches for six weeks." Leifer said each woman is seeking about $75,000 from Wang, and they sued because Wang's insurers had taken a "negative attitude" toward their injuries. Wang is apparently taking pains to make sure none of the city's other affianced social types get speared. Spies at her Madison Avenue boutique report a "big sign" now in the fitting rooms asks customers to wear shoes while trying on gowns. Wang, who has designed frocks for Uma Thurman, Sharon Stone and Mariah Carey, didn't return calls. Price of fame = everyone sues you.

Portman Readies for Re-Shoots of Third 'Star Wars'Tue, Jul 20, 2004, 10:07 AM PTBy Mike SzymanskiLOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) -- Natalie Portman says she's planning to do re-shoots for the third "Star Wars" movie beginning next month in London.The actress, who portrays Padme, the wife of the future Darth Vader and mother to Luke Skywalker, says she'll be happy to start a new project after finishing the yet-untitled third part of the six "Star Wars" films by George Lucas."It's been like 10 years of my life from when I signed on to when it finally will come out," Portman says. "And being 23, that's really significant obviously. I mean, it is a huge portion of my life and I've met some amazing people and it's been a really unique experience. So obviously, I look back on it and it obviously was part of forming who I am now and I am happy to start something new."Portman talked to Zap2it.com in an interview Monday (July 19) about "Garden State," an indie film starring and directed by Zach Braff from "Scrubs." That film, coming out July 30, has been a film festival hit. She portrays an oddball girl in New Jersey who has a bizarre family and falls in love with Braff's character.Although she's mostly recognized for her appearances in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" and "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones," she appreciates it when people recognize her smaller films."I appreciate when anyone ever is excited about any role," Portman says. "Some people have a bit of snobbery about, 'You should have seen this small artsy film I did instead of the big blockbuster' but I think they all have their own values. I'm always equally flattered and really appreciate when people recognize me from anything."Although she's unsure what she's re-shooting, it's a common thing to do for a big special effects film. Scheduled for release next May, she finished principal photography with co-stars Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor last year. The film has the usual Lucas veil of secrecy around it."I haven't been told anything, so for all I know, it could be like walking or an insert shot of my hands, or it could be a whole new storyline," Portman laughs. "So I will be as surprised as you are."Portman is a stickler about not autographing anything that is "Star Wars"-related unless it's for a charitable cause, because if she signs a lot of items, it devalues things she'd give to charity. Portman graduated last year from Harvard after majoring in psychology, and also will be seen Dec. 2 in Mike Nichol's drama "Closer" with Julia Roberts and Jude Law.Also, Portman knows nothing about rumors that she is wanted for the role of Lois Lane in the next "Superman" film. "I know there's rumors about it online because reporters keep asking about it but I don't really know," she tells Zap2it "I haven't read it or anything."

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people.com DISSOLVED: The marriage of Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and his wife, Skylar, is over, according to a statement on the band's Web site. "Lars and Skylar Ulrich are getting divorced after seven years of marriage," it reads. "The couple have been quietly going through divorce proceedings and separated since March. They will share custody of their two children." The couple currently can be seen in happier days as part of the new Metallica documentary, Some Kind of Monster. The New York Post reports that Skylar, who dated Matt Damon, was said to be the inspiration for the Minnie Driver's inspirational character in Good Will Hunting. Wow, I never knew that she was with Lars. Lars is such a creapie icky guy....

http://celebritybabies.blogspot.com/ Julia to take 5 year maternity leave Pregnant actress Julia Roberts will quit her Hollywood career for "at least five years" to focus on raising her twins once they're born. The star is so excited about the impending prospect of motherhood, she plans to take a break from the movie industry once filming wraps on eagerly-awaited sequel Ocean's Twelve this month. Roberts and her husband Danny Moder are expecting their babies early next year. A pal says, "She's waited to be a mother for so long and now it's happening, she wants to devote herself entirely."She's filming Ocean's Twelve but after that she's going to slow down, ready for the birth." From SouthFlorida.com

EOnline.com NEW HOME: Universal Music Group signing Mariah Carey to an exclusive worldwide publishing deal that includes her back catalog.

Signing for fans.

HAMPTONS DIARY NY Post ACTRESS Jessica Alba is mum on whether she's dating Yankee captain Derek Jeter. "I don't talk about who I'm dating," she pointedly told Diary before adding that in her business, "it's very hard to have a functional relationship. You have to keep it as private as possible no matter who you are." Alba, who has two sure-fire movie hits coming down the road with "Fantastic Four" and "Sin City," was in the Hamptons as host of the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge in Bridgehampton. When asked if she enjoyed polo, the sexy starlet deemed the game "a cool sport." But baseball's cooler, right? Diary asked. Alba laughed, and replied, "Oh, my God."

GUY MAGNET Ashlee Simpson basks in the attention of her male fans Thursday after appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman in New York City. It's a big week for Jessica's little sis: The MTV reality star will release her debut album, Autobiography, on Tuesday.