Morning Briefing:
All Mel, all the time: The Mel Gibson affair seems to be growing more gruesome with each passing day: Trying to make up for lost P.R. time, Gibson released a second, more specific apology on Tuesday, saying in a statement: "I am not an anti-Semite. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith." He then went on to ask leaders in the Jewish community to help him "discern the appropriate path for healing." Some have been so willing that the New York Daily News has compiled a helpful 12-step process for dealing with his anti-Semitism. At the same time, Reader's Digest has released reported outtakes from a 2004 interview with Gibson in which he wonders about the number of Holocaust victims: "I mean when the war was over they said it was 12 million. Then it was six. Now it's four. I mean it's that kind of numbers game." Meanwhile, some conservatives are trying to put as much ground between the right and "The Passion of the Christ" director as possible: Conservative film blog Libertas ties him instead to that other big director in 2004: "I'm still a little hazy on how Gibson is a figure of the political 'right' ... In fact, these days I'm sensing the opposite may be true: Gibson may be a left-wing Catholic much like ... Michael Moore." And finally, ABC News has an amazing photo gallery of Gibson's pre-arrest party here. (Fox 411, TMZ, N.Y. Daily News, Libertas, ABC)
More Lohan woes: The hits keep on coming for Lindsay Lohan: She has reportedly been dropped by her British label, Island Records, after the company decided to shelve her most recent U.K. release, "Speak," because she wouldn't put in the promotional time. A British industry insider tells the Sun that her "single was a huge flop over here because Lindsay couldn't be bothered to promote it." And on Tuesday, the 20-year-old starlet was summoned to testify in a lawsuit against her mom. Two record producers are suing Dina Lohan for fraud, alleging that she had Lindsay skip out on a record deal they made without properly paying them back. (ContactMusic, TMZ)
Also:
Katie Couric will hit the ground running at CBS: On Sept. 6, the day after her debut evening newscast, she'll host an hourlong show commemorating the fifth anniversary of 9/11. (Star) ... Paris Hilton tells People magazine she's back together with former flame Stavros Niarchos -- and lays it on a little thick: "While talking to People, Hilton paused for a moment to call Niarchos on her PDA. 'Stav, where are you, baby?' she said. 'Come on over. I love you.'" (People) ... Stella McCartney has some good news for her dad, Paul, in the midst of his divorce: She's pregnant with her second child, due early next year. (3 a.m. Girls) ... Elizabeth Hurley, a week after denying marriage rumors, says she does indeed plan to marry her businessman boyfriend, Arun Nayer. Asked about how she thinks it will feel, Hurley said, "I'll tell you once I am married ... But I've lived with Hugh Grant for 13 years; we were like husband and wife. I don't think there will be much difference." (Associated Press) ... Born-again rocker Alice Cooper is planning to start construction on a $3 million Christian youth center in Phoenix sometime next year, saying the U.S. "needs a good hypodermic-needle shot of morality." (Post Chronicle)
Money Quote:
Anna Nicole Smith, in a message reaching out to Brittany (sic) Spears on her Web site: "If you wanted to be friends, I would so much love to hang out with you. I think you're totally cool and I think we're going to have our babies about the same time." (Via the Scoop)
-- Scott Lamb
Turn On:
The miniseries "Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King" (TNT, 9 p.m. EDT) wraps up with Steven Weber and Kim Delaney starring as a couple trapped at a never-ending classic-rock concert, and "The Hills" (MTV, 10 p.m. EDT) and "Hustle" (AMC, 10 p.m. EDT) have their season enders. Also, PBS reairs its 1990 "American Masters" documentary "Edward R. Murrow: This Reporter" (check local listings).
On the Talk Shows:
Larry King (CNN, 9 p.m. EDT): presidential impersonator Steve Bridges, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Charlie Rose (PBS, check local listings): Henry Kissinger
David Letterman (CBS, 11:30 p.m. EDT): Sandra Bullock, Widespread Panic (repeat)
Jay Leno (NBC, 11:35 p.m. EDT): Dr. Phil McGraw, Aaron Eckhart, Jessica Kirson
Conan O'Brien (NBC, 12:35 a.m. EDT): John C. Reilly, Ashanti, Jackie Greene
Craig Ferguson (CBS, 12:35 a.m. EDT): Dr. Drew Pinsky, Carnie Wilson, Tally Hall
Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, 12:05 a.m. EDT): Cheryl Hines, Shaun White, Russell Peters, Michael Bolton
Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 11 p.m. EDT): Chris Paine
Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. EDT): Linda Hirshman
-- Lamar Clarkson
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