Morning Briefing:
Anna Nicole, mama to be: Ending a month of speculation, Anna Nicole Smith confirmed her pregnancy Wednesday in a video clip posted on her official Web site. Smith's announcement comes on the heels of a similar statement made by the baby's father, freelance photographer Larry Birkhead. So why the secrecy? Birkhead blames Smith's lawyer, Howard K. Stern. "I was told by Howard K. Stern to deny the pregnancy," Birkhead tells Rush & Molloy. "But I'm not denying it anymore for legal, moral and ethical reasons. I'm not denying she's pregnant and I'm not denying I'm the father." A friend of Smith's claims that Stern's motivation for keeping the pregnancy secret was that the lawyer himself is in love with Smith and therefore jealous of the proud papa-to-be. (Rush & Molloy, AnnaNicole.com)
Nick's new squeeze: Six months after the breakup of his marriage to Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey has found himself a new girlfriend. Unbeknown to the press, the singer has been dating stylist Kim Kardashian for the past month. "They're sweet on each other," a source close to Lachey tells People. "It's the beginning stages of a relationship." The same source reports that the couple bonded over their failed marriages -- Kardashian divorced music producer Damon Thomas in 2004. (People)
Paris and Lindsay make nice: Cooler heads prevailed Wednesday night as Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton were spotted sharing the same VIP table at the Los Angeles hot spot Hyde. According to Star magazine, Lohan arrived at the club by herself and calmly joined a party that included Paris and her sister, Nicky -- as if Paris pal Brandon Davis' videotaped anti-Lindsay rant (in which Paris can be seen laughing in the background) had never happened. Star quotes Lohan as telling Nicky she was unfazed by the Davis incident: "You know, I never saw the video, so, you know, I'm not mad." (Star)
Chili Peppers' new song hot? If you thought the Red Hot Chili Peppers' latest hit, "Dani California," sounded familiar, you're not the only one. Page Six quotes a source as saying that veteran rocker Tom Petty is examining his legal options after being made aware of the song's striking similarity to his own "Mary Jane's Last Dance." "The Chili Peppers could be facing a huge plagiarism lawsuit," the source says. If Petty does sue, the Chili Peppers' newest album would be pulled from stores pending litigation. (Page Six)
Also:
"Lost" star Michelle Rodriguez was released from jail after serving less than a day of her 60-day sentence for probation violation. (National Enquirer) ... A U.S. military veteran is suing filmmaker Michael Moore for $85 million, claiming Moore used footage of him without permission in his film "Fahrenheit 9/11." (AP) ... "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks has signed his post-victory record deal and is expected to release his debut album later this year. (Fox News) ... Hollywood filmmaker Sofia Coppola is pregnant with her first child, due this winter. The baby's father is Coppola's boyfriend, Phoenix singer Thomas Mars. (UPI via Post Chronicle) ... Russell Crowe was reportedly fired from the Baz Luhrmann film he was working on after the producers decided to go with the younger Heath Ledger. (FemaleFirst)
Money Quote:
Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott revealed no love lost for a fellow Brit when he was asked how Simon Cowell would rate his band's new album: "I don't know much about Simon Cowell other than he should be strung up ... like a piñata." (People)
-- David Marchese
Turn On:
"Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts will host tonight's final rounds of the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee (8 p.m. EDT), which is now airing on ABC rather than ESPN. A National Geographic special, "The Secret Voice of Hitler" (9 p.m. EDT), includes an unauthorized recording hidden for over 60 years. Struggling artists vie for fame on the series debut of "Artstar" (Gallery HD, 9 p.m. EDT). Also, Biography debuts "Psychic Investigators" (10 p.m. EDT), and NBC lets you catch up on four episodes of "The Office" (8 p.m. EDT).
On the Talk Shows:
David Letterman (CBS, 11:30 p.m. EDT): Tom Cruise, Jamie Oliver (repeat)
Jay Leno (NBC, 11:35 p.m. EDT): Robin Williams (repeat)
Conan O'Brien (NBC, 12:35 a.m. EDT): Naomi Watts (repeat)
Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 11 p.m. EDT): Willie Nelson (repeat)
Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. EDT): Ted Daeschler (repeat)
-- Lamar Clarkson
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