Morning Briefing:
How Stella got back at her groove: If bestselling author Terry McMillan decides to write another novel about Jonathan Plummer, the Jamaican boy toy who served as the inspiration for "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," it might make for a spicier book or movie. McMillan and Plummer's marriage fell apart last year when he confessed to a gay affair. Now the New York Post reports that a series of letters submitted to the court during the divorce reveal that McMillan was also looking elsewhere for her ever-elusive groove. "I wonder how you'd feel if I told you that I had plenty of sex when I was in New York. When I was in Spain and Paris," McMillan wrote in a letter to Plummer. "That I have been cheating on you for three years because you were a drag, because you were boring, because you got on my nerves because you were embarrassing ... you acted like a homosexual and you couldn't carry on an intelligent conversation." And Plummer walked away with only $50,000. (Page Six)
Paris Hilton does her own dirty work: A source tells the New York Post that in a deposition in the $10 million slander suit brought against her by diamond heiress Zeta Graff, Paris Hilton admitted to planting the false story that Graff, a former girlfriend of Hilton's former fiancé, Paris Latsis, attacked her in a jealous rage at a London nightclub. Hilton's former publicist, Rob Shuter, apparently had a signed waiver, e-mails and a phone log to prove that the story came exclusively from Hilton. "Hilton will learn a valuable lesson about what happens when you try to ruin another person's reputation," Graff said to the Post. (Page Six)
"You're my boy, Blue": Actor Patrick Cranshaw, most famous for his role as "Blue," the geriatric fraternity brother in "Old School," has died at the age of 86. Cranshaw's career spanned nearly 50 years and included dozens of credits, including the millionaire hubby in "Best in Show," but according to his manager he has been known as "Blue" to fans everywhere since the 2003 release of "Old School," in which his character dies of an apparent heart attack while preparing to jelly-wrestle two topless co-eds. In the movie funeral, Will Ferrell's Frank "The Tank" Ricard sings "Dust in the Wind" and then calls out in agony: "You're my boy, Blue!" (MSNBC)
Also:
In this week's sign of the apocalypse, Patrick Swayze is preparing to release a hip-hop single. (N.Y. Post) Call him Sir Sex Bomb; Tom Jones has joined Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Elton John as a knight of the realm. (MSNBC) "Narnia" overtook "Kong" at the box office over the New Year's holiday, but just barely. (E! Online) Don Imus is peeved at the folks at MSNBC for letting a measly hurricane usurp his morning show. (N.Y. Post) Rumor has it that President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are already eyeing a move to Dallas after the White House. (N.Y. Daily News) Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn were spotted kissing and hugging each other in Bakersfield, Calif., on New Year's and have reportedly taken to signing into hotels as "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." (Perez Hilton)
Money Quote:
Harrison Ford, 63, on a side benefit to being 22 years older than his girlfriend, Calista Flockhart: "Calista and I went to the movies yesterday, and I ordered one adult and one senior citizen. I saved $6." (The Daily News)
Turn On:
ABC debuts its new-look "World News Tonight" with coanchors Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff (ABC, 6:30 p.m. EST). The season premiere of the hospital comedy "Scrubs" features surreptitious birth control (NBC, 9 p.m. EST). MTV rolls out its unofficial replacement for the "Newlyweds" with the season premiere of "Meet the Barkers," which follows the antics of Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and his Playmate girlfriend, Shanna Moakler (MTV, 10 p.m. EST).
-- Ira Boudway
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