Tyra Banks has announced that this will be the last season of her talk show, according to a New York Times item.In an interview with People.com, Banks said, "I've been loving having fun, coming into your living rooms, bedrooms, hair salons for the past five years." On The Tyra Banks show, the Emmy-winning supermodel-turned-mogul did everything from don a fat suit to talk with then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. Banks plans to focus on a new film-production company, Bankable Studios, and will stay involved with her show America's Next Top Model.
In Ohio, police chief Barry Carpenter, 40, was sentenced to 32 months in prison Dec. 30 for breaking into the home of the surrogate mother for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick's child, People.com reported. Carpenter was found guilty of receiving stolen property, theft in office and tampering with evidence after he and another chief broke into the home; stole items such as pictures of ultrasounds; and offering them for sale to a photographer.
Lifetime's Project Runway will once again have celebrity judges once the seventh season kicks off Jan. 14, according to People.com . Nicole Richie will be a guest judge on the premiere, and executive producer Sara Rea said that Richie "isn't afraid to disagree with the other judges." The previous season, Eva Longoria Parker, Lindsay Lohan and Cindy Crawford were among the guest judges.
Rosie O'Donnell is apparently moving on, as she has been spotted with a new girlfriend, iVillage.com reported. O'Donnell was seen in Miami walking hand in hand with Texas-based artist Tracy Kachtick-Anders. In November, O'Donnell disclosed that partner Kelli Carpenter had moved out of their home two years ago; they have four kids together. However, Kachtick-Anders has six children of her own. ( Five are adopted. )
In Ireleand, actor Colin Farrell attended the wedding celebration of his gay brother, Eamonwho married his longtime partner, artist Steven Mannionbringing his five-year-old son, James, with him, according to IrishCentral.com . Eamon Farrell wedded Mannion in Vancouver, Canada, last summer since Ireland does not allow same-sex marriage, although it permits civil partnerships.
During one of his Cirque du Soleil performances, entertainer Criss Angel was allegedly involved in an anti-gay incident, according to PerezHilton.com . During a trick in which Angel "reads" a word sent from an audience member, that night's word turned out to be "faggot." The incident offended several of his dancers, who demanded an apology. Cirque's management has said that the audience member was British, and meant cigarettes but added an official statement saying, in part, "Audience members are typically not pre-briefed as to the words they can use. Since the occurrence, a protocol has been put in place in case the situation should reoccur."
Stephen Gately, the openly gay singer who was part of the Irish group Boyzone, died of a heart condition, Pink News reported. Gately suffered from atheromatosis, defined as a thickening of the arteries; however, the disease is rare in individuals under 50. A forensic report also showed that Gately was not killed by drugs or alcohol.
Matthew Morrison, star of TV's Glee, has set the record straight about his sexuality, according to Celebuzz. Morrison said, "I grew up singing and dancing, so people have been calling me gay since fifth grade. I've heard everything you could possibly hear about it. But I do love gay people, so I'm not going to act like I was insulted or angry about it."
Rapper Eminem is censoring his own lyrics to avoid anti-gay protests when he is in England, according to BET.com . Promoters for the 2010 Wireless Festival were concerned that gay-rights activists would protest the event if Eminem were on the list of performers. OutRage!, a British LGBT-rights group, has said it will not picket if the rapper does not perform any anti-gay lines.
Singer Mariah Carey has reportedly been approached to play High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens' mother in a new comedy that revolves around an American Idol-type show, according to ContactMusic.com . However, some people are concerned that the 40-year-old Careywho most recently was in the movie Preciouswill not want to be made older for the role.
Singer Ricky Martin has taken to Twitter to garner support for donating blood, according to Advocate.com . Martinwho has not publicly discussed his sexualityTweeted, "i want to donate blood, have you ever? quiero donar sangre, alguna vez lo haz hecho?" In the United States, men who have sex with other men are not allowed to donate blood; Martin is from Puerto Rico, a commonwealth of the U.S.
Sir Elton John is saying that he has been helping rapper Eminem fight his drug addiction for more than a year, according to Advocate.com . John befriended Eminem after they performed together at the 2001 Grammy Awards. John added that he was more than happy to help, given his own past as a recovered addict.
Singer Nhojj ( pronounced "Naj" ) recently made history when he became the first gay African American to win an OUTMusic Award, according to a press release. The Alliance of LGBT Recording Artists & Performers voted Nhojj's ballad "Love" as 2009's Outstanding R&B/Soul Song of the Year. The OUTMusic Awards were held Dec. 8 in New York City.
Toxicology tests and an autopsy finding are pending regarding the death of Casey Johnson, 30, the heiress to the Johnson & Johnson business empire, according to the Los Angeles Times. Johnson, the fiancee of reality-TV star Tila Tequila and daughter of New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, was pronounced dead Jan. 4 at her home in the Beverly Grove area of Los Angeles. Tequila stated on her Twitter page, "Everyone please pray 4 my Wifey Casey Johnson. She has passed away. Thank u for all ur love and support." Others, including Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, have also made statements about Casey.
OUT magazine has named the 100 greatest, gayest albumsby asking 100 celebrities ( such as Boy George, Nate Berkus, Ferron, JD Samson and Rufus Wainwright ) to each name their 10 favorites. The Smiths, Tracy Chapman, Indigo Girls and Judy at Carnegie Hall were ranked two through five, respectively. Who came out on top? ( Clue: The album came out in the '70s. ) See www.OUT.com or purchase the magazine at the nearest newsstand.