Morning Briefing:
Bad blood: Detectives are investigating three stabbings at a Manhattan party celebrating "Duets: The Final Chapter," a new album featuring slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. It seems that Sean "Diddy" Combs and Notorious B.I.G.'s mother, Voletta Wallace, who co-produced the album, weren't at the party when the violence broke out. Three people were shot at a parking garage near the club as well, but police aren't clear whether the two incidents are related. According to the New York Post, the stabbing began during a fight in the VIP area "over a bling bracelet or a busty babe." All victims were rushed to the hospital, one in critical condition. (Associated Press, N.Y. Post)
Letterman's mind control: A woman in New Mexico has filed a restraining order against David Letterman, claiming that he's been tormenting her with secret, coded messages through the television. The woman, Colleen Nestler, claims that Letterman communicated to her that he wants to marry her and make her his co-host on "The Late Show." The "mental cruelty" and "sleep deprivation" that Letterman allegedly inflicted on Nestler apparently came in the form of gestures and eye expressions, songs sung by guest bands on the show, and the letter C on baseball caps. The proposal came in 1993 when Letterman joked on-screen, "Marry me, Oprah." Nestler claims that Oprah is one of her code names. In the temporary restraining order, which was granted by Santa Fe District Judge Daniel Sanchez, Nestler stipulates that Letterman stay three yards away from her and that he not "think of me, and release me from his mental harassment and hammering." (E! Online)
Pitt-less gossip: Lloyd Grove has had enough of Brad Pitt. The New York Daily News gossip has decided to do to Pitt what he did to Paris Hilton last year and ban him from his column, Lowdown, citing a number of reasons. According to Grove, Pitt's acting is "all in the hair," he "seems always to be in love ... with himself," he "is as cold and shallow as thin ice on a teensy pond," and his appearance seems to morph every time he has a new woman in his life, "much like dog owners who morph into their pets." Grove concludes, "With the world's celebrity mags and gossip columns continuing to spill oceans of ink over Brad and his adventures for the foreseeable future, I can well afford to live without him -- just like Jen." (Lowdown)
Also:
Renée Zellweger and Kenny Chesney had their marriage officially annulled yesterday. (Gatecrasher) Elton John says he tried to end his feud with Madonna by inviting her to sing at his bachelor party, but she refused. (Page Six) Courtney Love is broke and looking to sell her rights to Kurt Cobain's song catalog for $100 million. (Page Six) Starting Dec. 28, Nielsen will offer DVR usage ratings. (Reuters) Scientologists Lisa Marie Presley, Priscilla Presley, Danny Masterson, Jenna Elfman and Catherine Bell attended the opening of a museum, linked to the Church of Scientology, with perhaps the most subtle name ever: "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death." (The Scoop) Hugh Hefner, apparently unable to live without blondes even in death, plans to be buried next to Marilyn Monroe. (Liz Smith) Al Sharpton, who was in talks with CBS to develop a sitcom tentatively titled "Al in the Family," has changed his mind about being a TV star, saying he'd rather focus on his political career. As he put it: "I'm not interested in being Archie Bunker. I'm looking forward to becoming George Bush." (Associated Press) Ethan Hawke has sent a letter to New Jersey's acting governor, asking that a woman serving a 30-year sentence for shooting her police officer-boyfriend be granted clemency. Hawke's mother had taught the woman when she was a parochial school student. (Associated Press)
Money Quote:
Johnny Knoxville on trying to write fiction: "I've started writing a novel, but when you hear about an actor writing a novel, you want to shoot yourself." (Maxim via The Scoop)
Turn on:
Fox is running two back-to-back reruns of "The O.C." -- including the Chrismukkah episode -- starting at 8 p.m. EST. And Robert Redford pays tribute to Paul Newman on the finale of "Iconoclasts" (Sundance, 10 p.m. EST).
-- Priya Jain
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