Morning Briefing:
Princess spy: Nine years after Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris, a new British report coming out this week reveals that some branch of the U.S. intelligence services was bugging the princess's phone, and was even listening to her calls on the day she died. The new information, which is part of a Scotland Yard report that will be published in the U.K. on Thursday, is scant on other important details -- like, say, anything that might actually help explain her death -- though it does seek to put to rest the rumors that Diana was pregnant at the time of her death or that she was planning to elope with then boyfriend Dodi Fayed, who was also killed in the crash. (Observer)
Re-modeling: Following recent changes to Spanish law that mandate less-thin models and a movement among fashion groups in Italy to "self-regulate" to battle anorexia, Page Six reports on a soon-to-happen summit for the heads of New York's fashion industry -- an effort lead by none other than Vogue editor Anna Wintour -- to meet and discuss getting healthier, more humanlike models into the fashion pages. "Anna held a symposium on the issue, and she's planning another meeting this week," says a source. "We would much rather come up with a way of self-policing ourselves than have regulations rammed down our throats." At the same time, Kate Winslet, still on promotional duties for her film "The Holiday," joined the recent outcry against the cult of thinness in popular culture, calling the fashion trend "unbelievably disturbing" and saying she won't allow the magazines in her house, lest they start to influence her 6-year-old daughter's sense of self. "What I resent is that there is an image of perfection that is getting thinner and thinner." (Page Six, BBC News)
Ms. Smith goes to India: The Sunday New York Times carried a report from the set of Angelina Jolie's next movie, "A Mighty Heart," filming in Pune, India. Despite the various security threats facing the film, which tells the story of the four weeks that preceded Daniel Pearl's murder by jihadists in Pakistan in 2002 (Jolie is playing the part of Pearl's wife, Mariane), the main problem hasn't been al-Qaida sympathizers, but shutterbugs. "Since their arrival in India in October, Ms. Jolie and Mr. Pitt were stalked by Indian and international news media," writes the paper, detailing an incident involving some of the couple's bodyguards during shooting in Mumbai in November that forced the film to shut down temporarily. Still, Jolie is focused on the work at hand, telling the paper, "Mariane has all the reasons in the world to be blinded by hate, but she has chosen not to be. We are living in a time when there is a lot of anger and misunderstanding. She is really a beautiful example to all of us of what we should stay focused on." (N.Y. Times)
Hilton trying to rekindle heir interest? Paris Hilton has once again been spotted out partying with former flame and Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos in Miami -- there were several sightings of the duo and their assorted hangers-on in South Beach over the weekend. Page Six cautions you not to believe any hype, though: Hilton has been spotted wearing what looks suspiciously like an engagement ring on her ring finger, but the gossip column says she bought it herself, and wears it out solely in order to fuel rumors that the two of them might be getting hitched. (People, Page Six)
Also:
It may have gotten mostly lousy reviews (Salon critic Andrew O'Hehir called it "relentlessly gruesome, visually impressive and ultimately not very interesting"), but Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" still grabbed the top spot at this weekend's box office, though its take of $14.2 million is nothing close to last year's "Passion of the Christ" opening weekend of $76.2 million. (Hollywood Reporter) ... Paris Hilton's rep denies the rumors that there's more than just friendship behind his client's recent, underwear-optional closeness with Britney Spears, calling talk that the two might be romantically involved "just silly." (The Scoop) ... London police are questioning Pete Doherty after a man fell to his death at a party the drug addict/musician attended last week (Doherty seems to have fled before police arrived). The dead man's sister tells British papers: "We want to know what happened that night. This is not about us assigning blame on a pseudo-celebrity. We just want the truth." (Associated Press) ... Following in the footsteps of fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger -- who headlined the show in the past two years, respectively -- the artist once again known as Prince is slated to be the halftime entertainment for the 2007 Super Bowl. (Associated Press) ... Actor/accused tax dodger Wesley Snipes returned to U.S. soil on Friday, was promptly arrested and then almost as quickly set free on $1 million bond so he could hop a plane back to Namibia to finish shooting his current film -- he has been ordered to return to Florida by Jan. 10 to face his charges. (People) ... The Los Angeles Film Critics Association voted Clint Eastwood's "Letters From Iwo Jima" best movie of the year, while Sacha Baron Cohen (for "Borat") tied with Forest Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland") for best actor. (The Envelope)
Turn On:
The first part of the three-part quirky detective min-series "The Lost Room" (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m. EST) airs on Monday night, John Stamos and Eric Dane star in the made-for-cable "Wedding Wars" (A&E, 9 p.m. EST) -- a light comedy about gay marriage -- and the 13th season of "Inside the Actor's Studio" (Bravo, 8 p.m. EST) kicks off with Forest Whitaker.
On the Talk Shows:
Larry King (CNN, 9 p.m. EST): Clint Eastwood
Charlie Rose (PBS, check local listings): Lou Dobbs, Ken Auletta
David Letterman (CBS, 11:30 p.m. EST): Matt Damon, Barbara Walters
Jay Leno (NBC, 11:35 p.m. EST): Former President Jimmy Carter, Edward Norton, Panic! At the Disco
Conan O'Brien (NBC, 12:35 a.m. EST): Cameron Diaz, Dashboard Confessional
Craig Ferguson (CBS, 12:35 a.m. EST): Ted Danson, Julia Sweeney, Akon
Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, 12:05 a.m. EST): Billy Crystal, Ricky Martin (repeat)
Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 11 p.m. EST): Sen. Lincoln Chafee
Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. EST): Peter Singer
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